Sustainability
We are fully committed to being a responsible and sustainable business that puts the health of our planet, our members and our people at the heart of everything we do.
At Vhi, we believe that the health of people and the health of the planet are fundamentally inter-connected. This is why we’re creating an approach to healthcare that has people and planet at its heart. Our aim is to be a leader in sustainable healthcare and provide thought leadership on the planetary-human health connection.
Our sustainability ambition is aligned to our purpose to help our members live longer, stronger, healthier lives. It calls out the interdependencies between the health of the planet and human health and how the triple bottom line of people, the planet and profit will be balanced in the delivery of a fully integrated model of healthcare.
Environmental, Social and Governance Ambition Statement
At Vhi, we want to help our members live longer, stronger and healthier lives.
This means helping them achieve their true optimal health - that balance of physical, mental, social and spiritual wellbeing - so that they can live life to the fullest.
We know that the health of people, and the planet, are interdependent.
This is why we will deliver a fully integrated model of healthcare that puts people and the planet at its heart. It is an approach that will be sustainable, will care for the environment, will embrace diversity, and support the best outcomes for our members, colleagues and communities.
Sustainability strategy
In early 2023, we embarked on a sustainability strategy development programme. This included in-depth peer research, stakeholder engagement and analysis to validate our ESG Ambition Statement, understand sustainability-related regulatory obligations and customer expectations, and identify the actions or work plans to deliver on both.
In July 2023, the Board approved a Sustainability Strategy for the Group aligned to our corporate purpose and our ESG Ambition Statement. Five UN Sustainable Development Goals underpin our Sustainability Strategy.
Our Sustainability Strategy is set out over three pillars, Healthy Business, Healthy People and Healthy Planet, and is underpinned by a number of focus areas and individual work plans. Our strategy is built around one central idea that ‘Everything is connected.’ As our environment is changing, these environmental changes in turn are affecting our health and ultimately our business. Therefore, it is no longer possible to see the health of the planet, the health of the human population, and the health of our business as separate; everything is connected.
HEALTHY BUSINESS
Our goal: To instil a culture where sustainability is core to all our decision-making.
Our Healthy Business pillar is all about integrating sustainability into our decision-making processes, goverence and risk management and preparing for new sustainability reporting requirements. But above all else, it's about integrating sustainability into our culture.
HEALTHY PEOPLE
Our goal: To champion good health and wellbeing for our members, colleagues and communities.
Our Healthy People pillar is about ensuring a culture where our colleagues can be themselves at work and achieve their potential and optimal wellbeing. It’s also about moving to a more preventative and sustainable model of healthcare so that our members can live longer, stronger, healthier lives. We will also continue investing in our sponsorships and partnerships such as with the Women’s Mini-Marathon, Parkrun and the Irish Youth Foundation.
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HEALTHY PLANET
Our goal: To operate within planetary boundaries and have a net positive impact on nature.
Our Healthy Planet pillar focuses on reducing our impact on the planet and, over time, having a net-positive impact on the environment. We have set clear targets which include reducing our emissions by 50% by 2030 and we’ve committed to achieving net zero by 2050. We are already electrifying our vehicles and shifting to renewable energy and reducing clinical waste and single use plastics in our healthcare settings.
You can find our more about sustainability at Vhi in our Annual Report.