Our Commitment To Environmental Health
Cleveland Clinic defines environmental sustainability as our efforts to make a positive impact on human health by promoting clean air, soil and water; and healthy buildings and homes. Formed in 2007, Cleveland Clinic’s Sustainability team supports efforts to:
- Measure and manage our environmental impacts.
- Develop and advance our sustainability strategy.
- Collaborate with and empower fellow caregivers to take action at work, at home and in our communities to make a positive impact on human and environmental health.
Cleveland Clinic also has 28 enterprise green teams and three committees that champion sustainability efforts at their facilities or in their functional areas. These groups model sustainable behaviors, host events, promote engagement in sustainability initiatives, educate colleagues and share ideas for improvement, which has resulted in significant progress on our energy, water and waste goals.
Environmental sustainability goals
| Issue | Goal | 2021 Progress |
|---|---|---|
| Climate | Carbon neutral (scope 1 and 2) by 2027 | 26% overall and 35% intensity reduction |
| Energy | Reduce energy use per square foot by 40% from 2010 baseline by 2030 | 18% reduction |
| Local & Sustainable Food | Source at least 30% of food for main campus from local and/or sustainable sources | 43% sourced locally |
| Waste | Divert 100% of non-hazardous waste from landfill by 2027 | 27% diversion |
| Water | Reduce water use per square foot by 10% from 2016 baseline by 2027 | 11% reduction |
In addition to the goals listed above, we also have commitments to healthy buildings, sustainable procurement, annual sustainability reporting, sustainability education and engagement, community tree planting and low carbon transportation.
Environmental Health Reporting
Energy Efficiency
Our commitment to energy efficiency is a natural extension of our guiding stewardship principle that asks caregivers to treat the organization as their home.
Climate Resilience
Cleveland Clinic collaborates with a diverse array of stakeholders to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, increase greenspace, advance climate resilience and raise awareness of the ways climate change impacts health.
Waste Reduction
Healthcare services have a large material footprint. Our caregivers champion efforts to prevent landfill waste by reducing, reusing, recycling, reprocessing, donating and composting.
Healthy Buildings
Through mindful material selection, design and operations, our caregivers work together to provide healthy environments for our patients, fellow caregivers and visitors.
Sustainable Procurement
We engage and collaborate with suppliers to promote sustainable practices, environmental impact reporting and products that are healthier for people and the environment.
Water Stewardship
Several of our facilities are located near Lake Erie and the Florida Everglades. We strive to be conscientious neighbors of these two important freshwater sources through efficient water use and responsible waste management.
Office for a Healthy Environment
Cleveland Clinic is committed to healthy environments for healthy communities. Learn more about our enterprise wide sustainability office.
Learn More