The Vozandes Hospital is leading the move towards sustainability, becoming the first hospital to achieve carbon neutral status in South America.
The Vozandes Hospital is leading the move towards sustainability, becoming the first hospital to achieve carbon neutral status in South America.
Sustainability is part of the essence of the HVQ Corporation (Hospital Vozandes Quito), due to its values and intersecting themes that lay out the path towards achievement of its Purpose. As a result, they have been working on actions to contribute to a healthy world, taking care that their management is sustainable and has a positive impact on the three pillars of ESG sustainability: Environment (A), Health for all (S) and Governance (G), being responsible with God’s creation and the integral well-being of people, the community and society. This is reflected in projects that continue to materialize today, celebrating a historic milestone for the region, Hospital Voz Andes Quito, has become the first hospital in South America to achieve international carbon neutrality certification as one of the priorities established in the environmental axis.
In 2019 they joined the Global Network of Green Hospitals, with whom they began measuring their carbon footprint according to the Health Without Harm methodology, but it was in April 2022 that they began their path towards decarbonization, through the measurement, reduction and compensation of their carbon footprint. HVQ patients and collaborators will be part of a responsible culture and will be consistent with the current climate needs.
The path to achieving this international recognition was framed in the Go Neutral Program of SICMA Ecuador, where the HVQ team followed the guidelines and criteria established in the ISO 14064-1: 2018 standard. The objective of this process was to demonstrate the amount of greenhouse gas emissions generated in the operational control of hospital services in the year. To offset residual carbon emissions, Hospital Voz Andes has participated in carbon offset projects in China, India, and Malawi. These projects include investment in conservation programs for natural areas, clean energy generation, and industrial composting plants to improve soil conditions; which contributes to sequestering carbon and protecting local biodiversity. For 2023, Hospital Vozandes Quito has defined the objective of reducing direct and indirect specific emissions by 16.33%, which will continue to be monitored annually.
Achieving carbon neutrality is a significant step towards a more sustainable future in the healthcare sector. Hospital Voz Andes has shown that it is possible to combine excellence in medical care with environmentally responsible practices. This initiative is expected to inspire other hospitals and clinics to work towards carbon neutrality.
