Advocate Aurora Health earns national honors for environmental stewardship
Advocate Aurora Health has been awarded multiple environmental sustainability awards from Practice Greenhealth, the nation's leading organization dedicated to sustainability in health care.
It earned the System for Change Award, the 14th consecutive year for the health system and its predecessor organizations. It's the longest such streak in the country. The award recognizes health care organizations that are setting and meeting system-wide sustainability goals, tracking data, benchmarking and sharing environmental performance successes.
"Our sustainability efforts are rooted in our purpose to help people live well because the state of the environment directly affects our health," said Monica Nakielski, Advocate Aurora Health Vice President for Sustainability.
Advocate Aurora Health was also awarded the Chemicals Circle of Excellence Award for its sound chemical reduction policies and practices and The Sustainable Procurement Circle of Excellence Award for use of environmentally preferred products. The Circles of Excellence Awards celebrate hospitals that have not only earned an award for all-around sustainability achievement, but have also been identified as the top scoring programs for each sustainability category.
"These recognitions reflect the hard work done by our team members, who recognize how important these sustainability efforts are," Chief Operating Officer Bill Santulli said.
"The work we do to protect our environment now is critical to having a safe, healthy place to live in the future," said the Rev. Kathie Bender Schwich, Chief Spiritual Officer.
In addition to the system-wide awards, eligible acute care hospitals earned individual honors for their green efforts.
Energy Circle of Excellence Award
The award celebrates top-scoring hospitals leading in energy efficiency and committing to renewable energy
• Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center
Green Building Circle of Excellence Award
Top-scoring hospitals earn the award for demonstrating sustainable building principles including energy and water efficiency, using safer materials and regional sourcing.
• Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital
• Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital
• Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center
Greenhealth Emerald Award
The award is earned by hospitals that have demonstrated a strong commitment to sustainability and shown leadership in the local community and in the health care sector through advanced sustainability programs.
This competitive award recognizes the top 20 percent of applicants that are setting the standard in eliminating mercury, reducing and recycling waste, sustainable sourcing and other areas.
• Advocate Christ Medical Center and Advocate Children's Hospital
• Advocate Condell Medical Center
• Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital
• Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital
• Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center
• Advocate Lutheran General Hospital and Advocate Children's Hospital
• Advocate Sherman Hospital
• Advocate South Suburban Hospital
• Advocate Trinity Hospital
• Aurora Medical Center - Bay Area
• Aurora Medical Center - Summit
• Aurora Medical Center in Grafton
• Aurora Medical Center in Manitowoc County
• Aurora Medical Center in Oshkosh
• Aurora Medical Center- Kenosha
• Aurora Sinai Medical Center
• Aurora St. Luke's Medical Center
Partner for change
The award is presented to hospitals that continuously improve waste reduction and recycling programs. Winning facilities must demonstrate successful recycling programs, that they have reduced regulated medical waste, are on track to eliminate mercury and have developed successful sustainability programs in many areas.
• Aurora BayCare Medical Center
• Aurora Lakeland Medical Center
• Aurora Medical Center - Burlington
• Aurora Medical Center in Washington County
• Aurora Sheboygan Memorial Medical Center
• Aurora St. Luke's South Shore
• Aurora West Allis Medical Center
Greening the OR Recognition Award
Awards hospitals that have significantly reduced the environmental impact of their operating rooms which are often large contributors to their environmental footprint.
• Advocate Christ Medical Center and Advocate Children's Hospital
• Advocate Condell Medical Center
• Advocate Lutheran General Hospital and Advocate Children's Hospital
• Advocate South Suburban Hospital
• Aurora Medical Center in Grafton
"In a shifting health care landscape, a focus on sustainability can help build resilience while better protecting the health of patients and the community," said Gary Cohen, Practice Greenhealth founder. "Advocate Aurora Health demonstrates the kind of leadership, innovation and performance that can drive the entire health sector toward more environmentally responsible practices."
In June, Advocate Aurora Health pledged to cut its greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030 and to achieve net zero by 2050 through the White House and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' pledge.