Net Zero Specialists to Aid NHS Decarbonisation Goals

In a bid to support the NHS’s carbon reduction plans and to regain its carbon neutral status, medical device manufacturer Vygon UK has partnered with Planet Mark, an internationally recognised carbon reduction and net zero specialist. 

Historically, the company – whose 2021 and 2022 carbon-neutral certification was impacted by the pandemic – reported on Scope 1 and 2 emissions. With support from Planet Mark, it is now expanding carbon emissions reporting to include elements of Scope 3 and re-baselining its sustainability tracking metrics.

Katie Kingston, Head of Marketing & Communications at Vygon UK, said, “We are committed to genuine sustainability reporting and take our responsibility for reducing the environmental impact of our operations very seriously. Working with Planet Mark, we are re-baselining our metrics to reflect a more meaningful and accurate comparison of emissions data over time.”

The healthcare supply chain comprises over 60% of NHS emissions and as a key supplier to the NHS, re-baselining also plays a vital part in Vygon UK complying with the NHS Net Zero Supplier Roadmap.

Planet Mark is one of only ten official partners of the UN-backed Race to Zero campaign supporting businesses with their carbon reduction strategies. Its methodology for measurement is fully aligned to Greenhouse Gas Protocol and aligns to the principles of the Science Based Targets Corporate Net Zero Standard.

Katie added, “Planet Mark is not only a credible and reliable partner, but their expertise will be invaluable in helping us benchmark what we want to achieve.

“Together, we are creating a realistic and actionable plan to regain our carbon neutral status within the next three years.”

Steve Malkin, CEO and Founder of Planet Mark said, “We are incredibly pleased to be working with Vygon UK, helping them get back on track with measuring and reporting their carbon emissions.

“They are underway with their first year of carbon footprint measurement with us, which will lay the foundation for them to take dynamic action to reduce their emissions.

“It’s essential that all businesses play their part to combat the climate crisis and I hope that Vygon can help to steer the healthcare industry towards a more sustainable future that supports people, communities and the planet.”

Sustainability initiatives implemented by Vygon UK in recent years, include:

• Energy-efficient infrastructure: Onsite solar panels generated 35% of daytime energy use, resulting in CO2 savings of 97,510kg in 2023.
• Environmentally conscious transport solutions: 95% of company fleet cars are hybrid.
• Recycling programmes: In 2023, 2.68 tonnes of mixed plastic, 9.920 tonnes of paper and cardboard, and 5.192 tonnes of general mixed waste was recycled.

As a socially conscious organisation, Vygon UK actively supports the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, considering how it performs across 17 areas such as ‘sustainable cities and communities’, ‘responsible consumption and production’, ‘zero hunger’ and ‘life on land’. It also encourages employees to engage with their local communities through charitable initiatives and in 2023 alone, it raised £3,888 for meaningful causes.