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Healthcare Sustainability Certification

Many healthcare organizations are reducing their carbon footprints in response to adverse effects to the environment caused by excess waste and greenhouse gas emissions. Greener healthcare practices provide meaningful, lasting health and operational benefits. Learn how Joint Commission International (JCI) and the Geneva Sustainable Centre (GSC) support healthcare organizations on their journeys toward sustainable healthcare.
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Why Sustainability in Healthcare Matters

Given the importance of sustainability in healthcare, Joint Commission International (JCI) and the IHF’s Geneva Sustainability Centre (GSC) collaborated to develop the Healthcare Sustainability Certification (HSC) program to continue to advance quality of care and patient safety.

In 2024, Joint Commission International released its 8th Edition of its Accreditation Standards for Hospitals and Academic Medical Centers. Within those standards is the Global Health Impact (GHI) chapter bringing healthcare sustainability into the accreditation space. The chapter is a useful and applicable framework that supports hospitals to start integrating sustainability practices across the organization.

JCI and GSC consider this as a pivotal step towards establishing a foundation for healthcare sustainability in their organizations. The HSC program not only encourages the organizations to broaden their sustainability efforts but also fosters a culture of continuous improvement.

Is Healthcare Sustainability a Patient Safety Issue?

Healthcare organizations are uniquely positioned to lead the charge in creating a healthier planet. Healthcare sustainability is intrinsically linked to patient safety because unsustainable practices contribute to pollution and climate change, which directly impact health outcomes. Studies show that healthcare providers are responsible for up to 6% of global carbon emissions, and pollution from healthcare activities causes more deaths than preventable medical errors. Additionally, climate change exacerbates health issues, such as the 85% increase in heat-related deaths among the elderly over the past 20 years. Extreme weather events can also disrupt healthcare services, leaving facilities without essential resources and increasing patient vulnerability. Therefore, improving sustainability in healthcare not only mitigates environmental harm but also enhances the resilience and safety of healthcare systems, ensuring better patient care and outcomes.

Why Undergo Healthcare Sustainability Certification

By participating in this program, you will have the unique opportunity to participate in a one-of-its kind international healthcare sustainability peer network, where you will be able to benchmark your sustainability progress anonymously against other organizations. In addition, share best management practices, learn from industry experts, and collaborate on unique projects to ensure the health of our planet and patients.

The HSC program supports environmental goals, enhances patient safety and quality of care. By guiding healthcare organizations in implementing sustainable practices, the HSC helps reduce harmful emissions and pollution. This certification also ensures that healthcare facilities are resilient and can maintain operations during extreme weather events, ultimately safeguarding patient health and safety by providing organizations with:

Core Components

  • GSC’s Sustainability Accelerator Tool (SAT): A comprehensive digital solution that is specifically designed for healthcare organizations to assess and improve their current performance with core indicators, tailored guidance, and benchmarking against comparable organizations worldwide.
  • Evidence-Based Standards: JCI and GSC experts, backed by decades of specialized experience, developed the HSC standards which encompass clinical, operational, leadership, and administrative practices.

Objective Assessment

JCI expert surveyors, who have collaborated with over 23,000 healthcare organizations globally, lead a rigorous, data-driven process. They engage with staff, clinicians, and leadership at all levels, proactively sharing best practices and providing hands-on learning opportunities.

Formal Recognition

Earn JCI’s Gold Seal of Approval® - a universally recognized symbol of quality and patient safety.

JCI-GSC Healthcare Sustainability Certification Benefits

Health care providers can realize numerous benefits, some general and others unique to the healthcare sector.

Healthcare-specific:

 

Advancing Sustainability across the Healthcare Sector

Participate in a program dedicated to addressing healthcare decarbonization, climate resilience, and improving patient safety and quality of care.

Access to the Geneva Sustainability Centre’s Sustainability Accelerator Tool (SAT)

Improve your sustainability strategy, strengthen workforce capacities, streamline the communication of sustainability progress, and benchmark your organization’s sustainability progress against international peers.

Building an International Community of Healthcare Sustainability Leaders

Join a unique international healthcare sustainability peer network led by industry experts.

Enhanced Reputation

Demonstrate leadership and commitment to responsible and ethical practices, attracting patients, employees, and stakeholders.

General:

 

Environmental Impact Reduction

Encourage decarbonization, resilience-building and energy-efficient practices to reduce environmental impact.

Cost Savings

Achieve operational efficiencies from energy-efficient technologies and waste management, leading to cost reductions and potential tax incentives.

Improved Health Outcomes

Implement sustainable practices to improve air quality, reduce chemical exposures, and enhance infection control, leading to better health outcomes.

Regulatory Compliance

Help ensure compliance with environmental regulations and mitigate risks.

Organizational Reputation

Demonstrate your commitment to sustainability through capacity strengthening and indicators tracking and monitoring.

About SAT

SAT is an innovative digital platform, specifically designed for healthcare organizations. It empowers hospitals and healthcare leaders to drive sustainable, low-carbon, equitable, and resilient healthcare. This tool is based on a structured sustainability framework and provides a solution for hospitals to develop comprehensive sustainability strategies, strengthen executives’ and staff’s capacities to address sustainability, and streamline the communication of sustainability goals and progress to key stakeholders.

SAT is a key part of the certification process. The assessment questions and indicators align with the HSC standards and focus on three essential domains:

  • Environmental Impact
  • Health, Equity, and Wellbeing
  • Leadership and Governance

The output generated by SAT provides a clear understanding of your organization’s sustainability maturity across these three areas and 17 sub-areas and helps you define and improve your sustainability strategy while providing JCI surveyors with evidence required for the certification process. Furthermore, it enables leaders to develop a sustainability strategy at the group or system level with a common platform. SAT’s group dashboard aids in strategic planning, identifying leaders and laggers, and developing high-impact reports.


Sustainability Accelerator Tool Go to the Sustainability Accelerator Tool

What is Expected from the SAT for HSC?

  • Upon subscribing to SAT, organizations are recommended to complete their initial assessment and schedule the certification survey within 6 months from completing the assessment.
  • Organizations need to demonstrate that the performance indicators are being measured. The certification requires tracking performance against 19 out of 23 core indicators. Required indicators include measuring your organization’s greenhouse gas emissions for Scopes 1, 2, and 3, which may require additional preparation time.
  • Organizations are required to conduct SAT assessment and update core indicators annually.

What It Takes to Be Certified

Healthcare organizations that are interested in achieving JCI-GSC Healthcare Sustainability Certification must meet the following eligibility requirements:

  • The healthcare organization, either JCI accredited or non-JCI accredited, is located outside of the United States and its territories.
  • The healthcare organization is currently operating as a healthcare provider in the country and is licensed to provide care and treatment as required.
  • The organization completes GSC’s Sustainability Accelerator Tool (SAT) maturity assessment and submits data for required core indicators.
  • The organization uses the information from the SAT to analyze and improve processes.

What to Expect: Healthcare Sustainability Certification Process

Embarking on the journey to achieve JCI-GSC Healthcare Sustainability Certification involves several key steps designed to support and guide your organization:

  • Trusted resources and expert help to interpret standards and prepare for certification.
  • Contact JCI-GSC Team to sign up for the Sustainability Accelerator Tool.
  • Complete the GSC’s Sustainability Accelerator Tool (SAT), including its maturity assessment, and enter specific data for the required 19 core indicators in the tool.
  • Submit your application for HSC with the JCI Support Team.
  • Schedule a virtual certification review with an expert surveyor from JCI.
  • Validate your healthcare organization’s self-assessment conducted using SAT during the certification review. The surveyor will also evaluate compliance with HSC’s standards and measurable elements, including:
    • Data input for the 19 required core indicators
    • Governance and leadership commitment to improving sustainable practices
    • Employee engagement and empowerment
    • Use of environmental resources, green operations, and processes
    • Supply chain and procurement practices
    • Infrastructure and service resilience
  • Post-certification: Upon receiving HSC certification recognition, continue to gain access to continuous improvement resources ensuring your organization remains at the forefront of sustainability.

We're Here to Help

We’re here to support you at each step in your journey to develop and improve your sustainability program. The JCI and GSC teams are available to help you get started and answer any questions you might have about this program.

Prepare for JCI-GSC HSC with JCI’s Standards Manual. Evidence-based JCI-GSC HSC standards provide the basis for healthcare organization certification throughout the world. HSC supplies organizations with information to pursue or maintain environmental sustainability practices that advance patient safety, performance improvement, and an organization’s certified status, beginning 1 January 2025.

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HSC Survey Process Guide (SPG)

The JCI Survey Process Guide for Healthcare Sustainability Certification is designed to help healthcare organizations learn about and prepare for the JCI virtual certification survey.

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Sustainability Accelerator Tool

GSC focuses on equipping hospital leaders with the skills, knowledge, and tools to actively address the climate crisis as part of every aspect of health service delivery. The Sustainability Accelerator Tool (SAT) is a digital solution designed specifically for hospital and healthcare executives to advance sustainability in their organization.

Sustainability Accelerator Tool

GSC Toolbox

Our partner, Geneva Sustainability Centre has tools and resources which are designed to enable healthcare leaders to start, and chart, their sustainability journey with confidence.

GSC Toolbox

Check out our FAQ’s for answers to common questions about the Healthcare Sustainability Certification (HSC) program.

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