Sustainable Development Goals
We aim to contribute to a healthy life and a healthy society, also for future generations, We want to increase our positive impact on health by reducing our negative impact on the environment and climate. We do this by offering future-proof healthcare, education, and research. In economic and social but also in an environmental respect.
In the SDG Charter, Dutch companies and social organizations work together each at their own level, alone or in partnership, to reach the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) . These goals, set by 193 UN Member States, reflect what the world should look like - in terms of a 'sustainable society’ - by 2030. We see added value in work as being in line with SDGs and want to support it in practice. The commitments in the Green Deal for Sustainable Healthcare also contribute attaining the SDGs. UMC Utrecht plays a crucial role in delivering quality healthcare, innovative research, valorization and quality education. By working together and continuing to innovate, we create social value and reduce negative impacts .
Outstanding SDG recognition for sustainability
In 2023 UMC Utrecht received the SDG label . This label is awarded only to organizations that have made the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) part of their policy. The SDG label is an outstanding acknowledgment of our ongoing efforts to improve people’s health and to strive towards a healthy society, for generations now and in the future. Or, as SDG Netherlands puts it: “At a time where sustainability and health have become crucial issues for our planet and its population, UMC Utrecht stands out as a shining example of commitment to these goals.”
Biggest contribution to SDGs
For our own organization and environment we have made an inventory of how UMC Utrecht can contribute to reaching the SDGs. Where does our biggest impact lie, and where have made the biggest difference? For this we have put the SDGs next to our core activities and looked at our entire process of value creation. We looked at which goals were most in line with our own initiatives, objectives, strategy, and the expectations of our stakeholders. This brought us to a number of ‘high-impact’ SDGs. These are SDGs that UMC Utrecht will work and focus on in the coming years.
SDG | Explanation | Relevance for UMC Utrecht: | How can UMC Utrecht contribute |
3: Good health and well-being | Ensure good health and promote well-being for all age groups. | Together, we improve human health and create the healthcare of tomorrow. | Healthcare of tomorrow |
4 Quality education | Ensure equal access to quality education and promote lifelong learning for everyone. | The New Utrecht School, strong, multidisciplinary networks | Planetary health and sustainability are an integral part of all medical and biomedical science programs |
10 Reduce inequality | Reduce inequality within and among countries and further social, economic, and political integration for all. | Together we create more value, because every human being counts. | Driver of Health Hub Utrecht, a regional innovation ecosystem for health and happiness |
12 Responsible consumption and production | Ensure responsible consumption and production patterns | Sustainable procurement unless | Sustainable procurement |
13 Climate action | Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts | Commitment objectives Climate Act and the Green Deal for Sustainable Healthcare 3.0 | 55% CO2 reduction in buildings in 2030 |
17 Partnerships for the goals | Work with regional, national and international partners to help reach the SDGs. | We believe in connecting worlds that are often still separated | UMC Utrecht Global Health Fellowship program |
Towards impact
Keeping 2030 in mind as our eventual target, we are taking action in stages to understand how we can contribute most effectively. This year our aim was to understand more about the SDGs, become familiar with the upcoming Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) law and EGS reporting, and translating the objectives of the Green Deal for Sustainable Healthcare 3.0 into actions. We also concentrated in particular on raising internal awareness of the link between health and sustainability.
