How businesses can help to build a greener future for all
Dental to find out more about
deal with the issues of sustainable development with ISO 14001 certification
What has made you both so passionate about ensuring Henry Schein UK and ireland achieved iSO 14001 certification and how this can help the environment?
VS: I am dedicated to the natural environment and firmly believe the current environmental crisis is the biggest challenge facing our planet. It is clear that we must act together NOW to make essential changes to stop the negative impact humankind is having on the planet and to ensure a sustainable future for generations to come.
n H-S: My awareness of plastic pollution, landfill and emissions has grown, and I have realised we need to do something that helps to achieve a zero-carbon economy and a sustainable and healthy future for people and our planet. The ISO 14001 certification was one important step for us.
Momentum is building and it is evident that governments and businesses of all sizes are finally starting to take action to ease the effects of global warming and pollution to protect biodiversity and help the world economy.
What is iSO 14001?
n H-S: ISO 14001 is an internationally agreed standard that sets out the requirements for an effective environmental management system (EMS), providing a clear management framework for organisations to follow. It is a voluntary standard, open to all organisations and businesses, regardless of size, location, sector, or industry.
An EMS encompasses the policies, processes, plans, and practices that define the rules governing how a company interacts with the environment. Implementing an EMS assures customers and employees of a business’s commitment to demonstrable management of their environmental impact and its readiness to implement necessary controls, and sets clear objectives to improve their environmental performance.
can you tell us more about how Henry Schein UK and ireland achieved iSO 14001 certification?
VS: At Henry Schein UK and Ireland, we are committed to assessing our environmental impact when carrying out our business activities and implementing initiatives and strategies to reduce or offset our overall carbon footprint.
We understood that by implementing ISO 14001 into our existing quality management system, it would provide an even more efficient way of managing our legal and regulatory obligations as well as helping us to improve
our energy and waste reduction. This in turn would also bring a shared ownership and stewardship of our environmental objectives.
n H-S: Thanks to the support of many of our employees – referred to as Team Schein Members (TSMs) – and management across the business, we were delighted in 2022 to receive official notification that Henry Schein UK and Ireland had been successful in achieving ISO 14001 certification. This not only helps us to evaluate the environmental impact of our business activities but also reflects the commitment within the business to create a greener and more sustainable future for us all.
What practical measures have you taken within the business to become more sustainable?
n H-S: Together with our TSMs, we have been outlining new environmentally focused objectives and KPIs to ensure that we fully understand our environmental impact and continuously improve our environmental performance.
For example, new motion-detecting LED lighting has been fitted in all areas of our Medcare South warehouse as part of a wider lighting project ongoing at our UK head office in Gillingham.
New signs and stickers have also been put in place across our offices and warehouses to make it easier for our TSMs to know where to dispose of a particular item of waste using clear colour coding and simple guides. Separating waste effectively means less waste goes to landfill, reducing greenhouse gases and pollution.
What about longer term business ambitions?
VS: With climate change being one of the most critical sustainability issues of our time, Henry Schein has signed the Business Ambition for 1.5°C Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), a commitment to set a long-term, sciencebased emissions target to reach net-zero global emissions by 2050.
Endorsed by a global coalition of UN agencies, business groups, and industry leaders, by signing the SBTi, Henry Schein has been joining corporate leaders worldwide in strengthening our approach to measuring, monitoring, and reporting on carbon emissions and other environmental impacts.
How can businesses lead the way in sustainability?
VS: Without question, sustainability is becoming part of business culture, and thanks to increasing consumer demand
for environmentally sustainable goods and services, businesses are in an ideal position to help their supply chains become carbon neutral. Taking positive action on climate change is also a huge opportunity to engage with suppliers, customers, and staff – many of whom already feel passionately about this issue.
n H-S: In a changing world, businesses, both big and small, are finding themselves leading the way through refined processes, logistics and products in reducing carbon emissions and mitigating the worst impacts of climate change. Net zero targets are of global importance, but you do not need to be a global company to make a difference. By simply making your own small steps and then working together towards a greener future for all - together we can make a difference.
What can consumers do to reduce their impact on the environment?
VS: Many people are already doing their utmost to take whatever action they can to reduce their environmental impact in daily life. However, sustainability is also one of the most important challenges facing every type and size of business. As consumers become more environmentally aware, sustainability is something that should now be at the centre of all business operations. It is evident that consumers are increasingly scrutinising companies’ environmental credentials to ensure they are minimising their environmental, social, and ethical impact on business supply chains 1 There is also increasing consumer demand for ‘green’ products and services that are ethically sourced through the supply chain, from raw material to the end-product and eventual disposal. And this also does not exclude the dental practice.
To address this need, in addition to our ISO 14001 certification activities,
we have launched an initiative to support our customers and their efforts to achieve their own environmental goals through the expansion of our ‘green’ products and service offerings. We are in the process of implementing Practice Green across EMEA since the beginning of January this year.
Practice Green aims to encourage the health care community to become more eco-friendly by providing solutions to support, educate, and enhance the environmental sustainability efforts of our customers so that they can run a more eco-friendly practice while continuously providing high-quality patient care. Together, we can build a healthier world for all.
To learn more about Henry Schein’s eSG efforts and to view the company’s 2021 Sustainability and cSr report, please visit hsdental.co/csr
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reference:
1. https://www2.deloitte.com/uk/en/ pages/consumer-business/articles/ sustainable-consumer.html
nadene HarmanSmith
Senior customer experience Manager at Henry Schein Dental
Vicki Snow
Director of Quality & regulatory in UK, ireland, The nordics, and South Africa at Henry Schein Dental
They are environment co-Project Leads of the environmental Sustainability Project which is part of the environmental, Social and Governance (eSG) activities for Henry Schein UK and ireland.
