HCA Healthcare

At a Glance

Industry

Health Care

Project Type

Supply Chain

Year

2019

Location

Nashville, TN

Summary

Jackie Bach worked with HCA Healthcare to create strategies to advance their Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP) program.

Goals 

As part of a longstanding partnership with EDF, HCA Healthcare, a Fortune 100 company operating more than 1,800 healthcare facilities across 21 states and the United Kingdom, enlisted EDF Climate Corps Fellow Jackie Bach to help develop strategies and tools to increase supply chain sustainability. Products used in everyday healthcare delivery including food, medicine, equipment, and infrastructure have impacts at every stage in their lifecycles. The production, use and disposal of these items affects patients, staff, communities and the environment. HCA Healthcare worked with Bach to address supply chain impacts by enhancing its Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP) program.

Solutions

Working closely with HCA Healthcare’s sustainability and supply chain teams, Bach developed a comprehensive approach to increasing EPP across the company by engaging four Sustainability Steering Committee Task Forces. After connecting with key stakeholders, she interviewed internal and external stakeholders, researched best practices and industry trends. Through this collaboration, three resources were developed to help improve HCA Healthcare’s EPP program:

Vendor Scorecard

The vendor scorecard enables HCA Healthcare to evaluate products and vendors based on their environmental attributes.

Long-term Strategy

The long-term strategy outlines best practices in implementing an EPP program at HCA Healthcare facilities.

Engagement Plan

The plan for engagement, education, and communications specifies optimal methods for garnering buy-in and motivating stakeholders at HCA Healthcare, partner organizations, and vendor companies.

These resources address issues related to and offer increased awareness of reducing waste and toxicity, managing choices concerning chemicals, transportation, packaging, and energy use.

Potential Impact

The overall EPP strategy has the potential to impact the selection process of 1.5 million products and 500 vendors, which can ultimately shift purchasing power towards more environmentally preferable products.

Bach presented the three resources to HCA Healthcare’s Sustainability Steering Committee, partner organizations and lead decision-makers. With these tools, HCA Healthcare is well equipped to enhance its Environmentally Preferable Purchasing program, increase awareness around the environmental impacts associated with its products, move purchasers to action and improve sustainability outcomes.


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