Schneider Electric Drives Healthcare Sector Towards Decarbonisation on World Health Day

• On World Health Day, Schneider Electric calls on healthcare leaders to prioritize decarbonisation 
• Healthcare buildings and operations are responsible for approximately 5% of global carbon emissions, making investment in sustainability solutions critical
• Schneider Electric provides a three-step roadmap for decarbonization in the healthcare sector: strategize, digitize, and decarbonise

Schneider Electric, a global leader in the digital transformation of energy management and automation, has called on healthcare leaders to urgently respond to the global climate crisis by doubling down on decarbonisation.

Buildings in the healthcare sector represent up to 5% of global CO2 emissions. Reducing the carbon footprint of the healthcare sector is critical to curbing climate change’s impact on increased air pollution which can cause heart disease and lung cancer risk. 

On the occasion of World Health Day 2023, which falls on April 7, Schneider Electric has outlined a comprehensive three-step approach to enable healthcare leaders to set, deploy and sustain their sustainability journey.

It begins with step one: strategise. Organisations need a sustainability strategy that should detail program targets, set a clear roadmap, fund initiatives and communicate commitments. Doing so will serve as a blueprint to mobilise the next steps.

Step two: digitise. Healthcare facilities need to make use of digital building technologies to drive profound improvements in the availability of services, resource efficiency, carbon dioxide emissions and the patient experience. The data these systems produce must be de-siloed and connected to an Internet of Things-enabled platform. 

Step three: decarbonise. Healthcare leaders should focus on deploying solutions. This could include electrifying operations by replacing fossil fuel-based loads with electric alternatives, reducing energy usage by implementing IoT-enabled solutions, using technology powered by renewables or collaborating more closely with partners and suppliers to decarbonise the value chain.

As healthcare facilities accelerate climate action programs, Schneider Electric’s three-phase decarbonisation roadmap is designed to enable leaders in Saudi Arabia to do the same.

Mohamed Shaheen, Cluster President for KSA and Yemen said: “As we look towards a more sustainable future, it is critical that the healthcare sector takes urgent action to reduce its carbon footprint and to invest in renewable energy solutions. Expanding the provision of digital healthcare solutions and improving the equality and efficiency of services are key focus areas for the kingdom under the Health Sector Transformation Plan. World Health Day is an opportunity to reflect not only on how we can provide better patient care but do so in a way that addresses humanity’s greatest threat: climate change.”

Healthcare innovation will be one of many focus areas at Schneider Electric’s Innovation Summit in Saudi Arabia, set to take place on 13-14 June in Riyadh for the first time. The event will bring together global leaders and innovators to discuss the latest trends and solutions in energy management and automation. It will also demonstrate Schneider Electric’s commitment to supporting the healthcare sector's transition to a more sustainable future.