Greening healthcare together

In the Netherlands, the healthcare sector is responsible for no less than 7% of total CO₂ emissions. The use of disposable products, such as isolation gowns and scissors, and the single use of medication make up a large part of this impact.

Through this national programme, all hospitals in the Netherlands can contribute to reducing the ecological footprint of healthcare. In the long term, we aim to reach the entire healthcare sector by making successful sustainability interventions widely accessible. This will allow healthcare professionals from other sectors, such as nursing homes and community care, to implement these interventions within their own organisations.

Together for greener healthcare takes a bottom-up approach, with healthcare professionals on nursing units working together with sustainability coordinators to take the lead. A learning network will also be set up within each ROAZ region to make it easier to share challenges and experiences. This way, we aim to strengthen regional collaboration between hospitals.

Together for greener healthcare aligns with the national Green Deal Sustainable Healthcare 3.0 and contributes to the objectives of the Integral Healthcare Agreement (IZA). The programme is a national initiative funded by the Citrienfonds of the NFU, in collaboration with the NVZ.