Kees Wesdorp discusses sustainable healthcare innovation at CleanMed Europe

Climate change remains a global concern with broad impact — including creating a growing burden of disease on healthcare systems around the world. Yet, like many industries, healthcare is also a contributor to climate change, with healthcare systems now accounting for more global CO2 emissions than either aviation or shipping. Hospitals also have the highest energy intensity of all publicly funded buildings and emit 2.5 times more greenhouse gas emissions than commercial buildings. The question becomes, what steps should healthcare leaders take now to drive climate change improvement while also providing patients with quality care?

During the upcoming CleanMed Europe Online Conference on November 23, 2020, Kees Wesdorp, Chief Business Leader of Precision Diagnosis at Philips will join a keynote panel to discuss the links between human health and sustainability as well as healthcare’s contribution to climate change. The panel will share perspectives on the role we all have to prioritize sustainability efforts that lead to greener and more accessible healthcare models. Wesdorp will share how Philips, a purpose-driven health technology company that aims to improve 2.5 billion lives per year by 2030, is embedding sustainability deep into the way the company does business to shape operations and beyond together with customers and partners in the supply chain. 

Currently completing its ‘Healthy people, Sustainable planet’ 2016 - 2020 program, Philips is set to achieve all of the program’s ambitious targets by the end of the year, including generating 70% of its sales from green products and services with 15% from circular economy solutions, becoming CO2-neutral in its operations, recycling 90% of its operational waste, and sending zero waste to landfill [1]. Building on this strong track record, Philips’ new framework comprises a comprehensive set of key commitments across all the Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance (ESG) dimensions that guide execution of the company’s strategy. 

Other panelists joining Wesdorp in the CleanMed Europe panel session include Eilish Hardiman, CEO of Children’s Health Ireland; and Lord Nigel Crisp, author and chair, UK House of Lords’ All-Party Parliamentary Group on Global Health. The panel will be moderated by William Clark of Health Care Without Harm Europe.

Watch the event live on November 23, 2020 at 10:00am CET on the CleanMed Europe website (registration required).

Event information

• Name event: CleanMed Europe 
• Where: Amsterdam (virtual event)
• Date: November 23, 2020 at 10:00am CET
• Website: https://cleanmedeurope.org/ 
• Social Hashtag: #CME20

Speaker information

• Name speaker: Kees Wesdorp
• Role: Panel participant

[1] Today, Philips generates 66% of its sales from green products and services, with 13% from circular economy solutions. Over 95% of its worldwide operations are currently powered by renewable electricity. Moreover, 85% of all operational waste is being recycled, and 67% of Philips’ industrial sites sent zero waste to landfill. Most recently, Philips North America achieved ‘zero waste to landfill’ status for its manufacturing sites. For more information: www.results.philips.com.