Sustainability at MEDIAN Group
Our core priority at MEDIAN Group is the quality of the care we provide to our patients and residents. However, a key part of our agenda also focuses on having a social and environmental conscience, and operating as a sustainable and responsible business.
MEDIAN Group's main objective is to reduce its carbon footprint. Therefore MEDIAN commits to various measures to protect the environment and continuously reviewing and optimising its sustainability strategy. Part of this commitment is to ensure sustainable procurement, fair trade and the use of local suppliers. This continuous improvement of MEDIAN Group's efforts will be accompanied by internal and external audits, recognition of innovation as well as comprehensive training and qualification opportunities, leading to a robust set of KPls linked to the ecological, economical and social agenda.
Quotes from the Executive Board
A duty and a vested interest
Doing our bit to tackle global warming and other environmental problems not only helps the planet, but it can also improve people’s health and wellbeing. This is because the issues surrounding climate change are known to result in a number of health problems:
- Global warming causes heat-related health issues and deaths, particularly in vulnerable populations, including elderly people and babies. It also results in more adverse weather events such as heat waves, droughts and floods, which have further health and social implications
- Pollution can result in a whole range of respiratory illnesses and other physical health diseases, with more and more coming to light on this subject all the time
- Recent research also shows an association between pollution levels and mental health problems
For this reason, we have both a duty and a vested interest in operating in a more sustainable and environmentally friendly way, as a healthcare provider.
Our purpose, ‘live your life’, further supports our mission to look after the environment as part of our ethos. By doing so, not only are we playing our part in this hugely important global effort, but we’re taking steps to limit the effect that adverse environmental factors can have on our patients’ physical and mental health, allowing them to achieve a positive future and live their lives to the fullest.
MEDIAN green
The overall goal of all our climate protection projects is to reduce our carbon footprint in order to operate CO2-neutral in the long term. To this end, we have set ourselves the goal of reducing CO2 emissions by 30% from 2019 to 2025. Thanks to the consistent execution of energy-saving measures due to the ongoing energy crisis, we were already able to achieve this goal in March 2023 and are now taking the next steps.
Just some of the sustainability steps that we have put in place at MEDIAN Group include:
- Ongoing analysis regarding how we use fuel and energy across MEDIAN, and using this to inform improvements and next steps
- Ensuring that our company vehicles are more eco-friendly, in order to reduce our carbon footprint
- Looking for ways in which we can minimise waste and improve our levels of recycling
- Ensuring that our heating systems are as ‘green’ as possible
- Evaluating our travel requirements to determine whether all business journeys are essential
- Investigating whether we could switch to alternative delivery suppliers to reduce journey times
Green projects
LED light bulbs
All MEDIAN facilities and clinics use LED bulbs. LEDs save 90% electricity compared to a conventional light bulb.
With the large number of lamps in our facilities, which are lit daily, perhaps even day and night, the cost savings per year are clearly profitable and also reduce our carbon footprint.
Block-type thermal power station
For some years more MEDIAN facilities and clinics have been equipped with efficient block-type thermal power stations, which supplement the classic oil and gas heating systems.
Modern block-type thermal power stations are more efficient and therefore more environmentally friendly than other systems: they generate electricity with the help of a gas engine. The waste heat generated in the process is used for heating and can cover the entire demand for basic heat in a facility. This enables a decentralised supply of the locations because the Block-type thermal power station produces electricity and heat directly on site.
E-mobility
In 2021, MEDIAN began testing electric cars in practical use. Particularly for patient transport in local traffic within the town and the region, for example to consultations or to the railway station, the electric cars are very useful alternatives to petrol engines. The goal is to convert the MEDIAN car pool to electric vehicles by 2028.
Photovoltaic
In 2023, MEDIAN will start installing photovoltaic systems on the roofs of its facilities. The goal is to occupy all suitable roof surfaces by 2025.
In 2024, the first installation in the UK was realised at Priory Hospital Barnt Green. This will prevent 14 tonnes of carbon being emitted at the site each year. Similar developments take place across 80 hospitals and care homes throughout the UK over the next two years, with electricity bills set to reduce by £2 million per year as a result.