Towards a sustainable future: decarbonising the healthcare sector

The National Health Service (NHS) is one of the largest employers of labour in the United Kingdom but also a major contributor to the greenhouse gas emissions. In response, it has pledged to become the world's first net zero health service provider by 2040. This paper explores the NHS’s role in addressing climate change and presents a strategy for its decarbonisation. It assesses the NHS’s carbon footprint, identifies barriers, evaluates decarbonisation efforts, and provides practical recommendations. Using a mixed-methods approach, data are drawn from reports, case studies, and stakeholder interviews. A conceptual framework which focuses on reducing resource use, adopting renewables, and policy reform guides the study. The paper contributes to sustainability discourse and provides actionable insights for the healthcare sector.

Citation

Bright Erhahon, E., Renukappa, S., Suresh, S., Gopal, S. et al (2025) Towards a sustainable future: decarbonising the healthcare sector, Paper presented at Management Challenges, Business Opportunities and Disrupted Institutional Contexts, 39th British Academy of Management Conference, 1 – 5 September 2025, University of Kent, U.K.

Type

Conference contribution

Language

en

Description

This is the accepted manuscript of a paper presented at Management Challenges, Business Opportunities and Disrupted Institutional Contexts, 39th British Academy of Management Conference, 1 – 5 September 2025, University of Kent, U.K. The accepted version of the publication may differ from the final published version.

Collections

Faculty of Science and Engineering