SBUH Named Top Performer for Excellence in Environmental Sustainability

Credit: Stony Brook University Hospital

Stony Brook University Hospital (SBUH) has once again been recognized for its achievements in environmental sustainability in healthcare. Vizient, Inc., the nation's largest provider-driven healthcare performance improvement company, named SBUH a top performer in the comprehensive academic medical center group, earning the Environmental Sustainability Excellence Award.

The achievement ranks providers in each cohort by their sustainable purchasing decisions and commitment to reduce carbon emissions and improve climate resilience. Ranking is based on the purchase of products that meet Vizient's Environmentally Preferred Purchasing Standard as a percentage of their Vizient spend and those who commit to the White House Health and Human Services Health Sector Climate Pledge.

"At Stony Brook University Hospital, we understand the decisions made at our hospital can play a major role in our community's human and environmental health," said Carol Gomes, chief executive officer, Stony Brook University Hospital. "Our team makes it a priority to implement sustainable practices and choose environmentally conscious materials to deliver the high-quality care essential to our patients. We thank Vizient for recognizing our hospital's commitment to environmental excellence in healthcare."

SBUH continues to lead the way in tackling emissions and is already working to achieve climate resilience through a number of initiatives, including:

• Greening the Operating Room
• Reducing energy and water consumption
• Growing and serving healthy foods
• Using safer and fewer chemicals
• Purchasing environmentally preferable materials
• Implementing Green Building initiatives
• Investigating how to decrease emissions from transportation
• Focusing on waste reduction and recycling

This year, SBUH was recognized by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for its public commitments to decarbonizing its operations and improving resilience in the face of climate change. As part of the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28), HHS shared that SBUHwas one of more than 130 organizations that have joined the White House-HHS Health Sector climate pledge, committing to align with the Biden administration's goal of reducing emissions by 50 percent by 2030 and achieving net zero emissions by 2050.

In May 2024, SBUH was named a national leader in environmental sustainability by Practice Greenhealth, earning its Greenhealth Emerald Award. The honor recognizes the hospital, as part of the top 20 percent, for its ongoing commitment to improving its environmental performance and efforts to build sustainability and resiliency into the operations and culture of the institution.

To learn more about Stony Brook Medicine's sustainability efforts, visit stonybrookmedicine.edu/sustainability.

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