Adam Cornfield, Product Manager for Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics, Inc., part of Johnson & Johnson’s Medical Diagnostics & Device sector, discusses the company’s EarthWards process to respond to customer needs and the demand for more sustainable health care products. From CSR Talkback:
It may come as a surprise that the average hospital uses more energy per square foot than any other commercial building type – second only to retail food establishments – and that health systems produce a daily average of 26 pounds of waste for every staffed hospital bed. Given these realities, hospitals are taking steps to reduce the environmental impacts of their operations and of the products they purchase.
Last year, Johnson & Johnson commissioned global research to better understand the demand for more sustainable and greener products among healthcare procurement professionals. The findings revealed that more than half (54 percent) of hospitals currently consider the environmental attributes of the products they purchase, and that this is becoming increasingly more important to them.
Most respondents (89 percent) reported that they consider whether a supplier offers an “end-of-life” solution, such as take-back or recycling programs, when making purchasing decisions. Energy efficiency is another important product attribute cited by respondents (87 percent).
No surprises here, since many products used in hospitals and healthcare institutions are often designed for a single use and then disposed of, or medical technology products that run 24/7 and, as a result, consume energy continuously.
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