At the Hospital Clínic, we have been addressing this challenge from an increasingly global perspective. And this means understanding that sustainability is about the environment, but also about health, social commitment, and economic responsibility. In this respect, alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) help us provide a framework and direction for many of the actions we are already promoting. It also reinforces the value of working in networks and joining forces: the Hospital Clínic Barcelona’s membership of the Catalonia Alliance 2030 is a good example how we can contribute to advancing a shared agenda from a health perspective.
In the environmental sphere, there are initiatives that are already part of our daily routine. The Capità Verd (Captain Green) programme is one of the most representative, because it focuses on what often makes the difference: the involvement of people who, through their actions, bring about real change. In parallel, we are also advancing structural measures, such as the installation of photovoltaic panels, which allow us to progress towards a more efficient energy model aligned with the ecological transition.
Another very relevant line of work is establishing partnerships with our suppliers to incorporate purchasing criteria related to environmental clauses and process improvement. Projects such as the Procurement Hub, the Intra-hospital Logistics Project, and the process digitization workstreams allow us to promote best practices and advance towards a more responsible value chain. It is a very specific way of practising sustainability with profound and lasting effects over time.
And, to care for what is most valuable, the Healthy Clínic line is making a strong entrance, with actions aimed at professionals. Programmes such as the Cardiovascular Risk Prevention Programme and the Sleep Care Programme, etc., have a value that goes beyond individual health: they contribute to improving people’s well-being, reducing accumulated fatigue, and strengthening more stable teams with the ability to face the demands of daily life better.
Sustainability is also a social commitment
Sustainability is also a social commitment, and this commitment to the Clínic is channelled, among other initiatives, through the Solidarity Campus Clínic. Actions in different countries and the response to emerging situations like the DANA (isolated depression at high altitudes also known as a cold drop or cut-off low) remind us that we are an institution with a vocation for service, and that our responsibility is also to be present when the context becomes more fragile or needs intensify.
And, finally, sustainability is also about resources and viability. Economic sustainability involves ensuring that we can continue to provide care, innovate, conduct research, and train, without sacrificing quality or equity. Managing income and expenses well, optimizing processes, prioritizing better, and moving towards value-based decisions is a constant necessity. Along these lines, events like the economic sustainability workshop held this summer help us to share perspectives, learn, and reinforce a common culture of responsible management.
In parallel, we are promoting a pioneering approach to assessing the value generated by the Hospital within the healthcare sector, incorporating tools that allow us to make our real impact, moving beyond the financial balance sheet. Methodologies such as the Integrated Social Value help us understand and measure the value we generate for patients, professional, and society, and provide us with a new layer of evidence to guide strategic decisions.
Ultimately, the path we are on in sustainability is broad and shared: it involves reducing our impact on energy consumption, responsible purchasing, professional well-being, solidarity, and rigorous economic management. Maintaining the system as we know it is not just a challenge, but a great responsibility that we can also look forward to with excitement in projects like the New Clínic, which allow us to think big and as a team. As Jane Goodall said, “What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.”
