THE SUSTAINABILITY INTERVIEW
“ The connection between climate change and health is clear, and healthcare must embrace its responsibility”
Jennifer Kim Field Chief Sustainability Officer Henry Schein
Community garden planting initiative at Henry Schein’ s corporate headquarters in Melville, NY
Why climate is a healthcare issue Henry Schein defines sustainability broadly under environmental, social and governance efforts. On the environmental side, the company’ s focus is squarely on climate and wider planetary health.“ The connection between climate change and health is clear,” Jennifer says. The World Health Organization identifies climate change as one of the greatest health threats facing humanity. It estimates that one in four deaths results from extreme weather events such as heatwaves, storms and floods. Extreme weather also has direct supply chain implications. It can disrupt production and logistics, leading to interruptions of critical medicines and medical supplies. While healthcare is not among the top-emitting sectors, the aggregate impact is significant.
“ If you compared the healthcare sector to a country, we would be the fifth-largest emitter of greenhouse gas emissions,” Jennifer reveals.
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Jennifer Kim Field at a Team Schein kit-building event under the shared mission of“ helping health happen” for people and communities in need