Sodexo Health and Care, a division of Sodexo, a global services company, focused on providing healthcare solutions, has achieved level 3 status on NHS’s Evergreen Sustainable Supplier Assessment maturity matrix.
The Evergreen Assessment is one of several NHS initiatives designed to support its net-zero and broader sustainability goals. It specifically targets the NHS's aim to reach net zero by 2045 for emissions it doesn't directly control but can influence.
The Assessment is a reporting tool that allows suppliers, like Sodexo, to engage with the NHS on their sustainability journey and align with the NHS's net zero and sustainability goals, including those outlined in the NHS Net Zero Supplier Roadmap.
Following the assessment Sodexo Health and Care received Level 3: 2045 net zero targets that are independently validated.
The Evergreen Assessment is one of several NHS initiatives designed to support its net-zero and broader sustainability goals
The assessment is valid for 12 months, after which Sodexo Health and Care will again use the tool to assess its status.
The information reported through Evergreen helps Sodexo Health and Care assess its alignment with NHS sustainability priorities and pinpoint areas where it needs to accelerate progress.
The maturity criteria are based on leading, independent sustainability initiatives like the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) and the Modern Slavery Assessment Tool (MSAT), as well as NHS sustainability requirements, including those outlined in the Net Zero Supplier Roadmap.
The data and information provided by Sodexo will be used to support the NHS in understanding its supply chain carbon footprint, measure progress against its targets, and tailor engagement to support suppliers.
The data and information provided by Sodexo will be used to support the NHS in understanding its supply chain carbon footprint
Suppliers are assessed against four maturity levels which indicate alignment with NHS sustainability priorities:
- Level 1: Publicly committed to net zero carbon and engaged with sustainability.
- Level 2: Comprehensive net zero targets and reporting for carbon emissions.
- Level 3: 2045 Net Zero targets that are independently validated.
- Level 4: 2045 Net Zero targets, independently validated, across the global organisation
In January this year, Sodexo UK & Ireland reported that it has achieved a 37% reduction in absolute GHG emissions across scopes 1, 2 and 3, compared to its baseline year of 2017 – putting the organisation ahead of schedule on its Net Zero 2040 roadmap.
Philip Leigh, CEO for Health & Care, said: “At Sodexo we are very clear about the need for collaboration in our sustainability strategies, this assessment is a positive step on our journey, we know there is still much work to do which is why it is imperative that we continue to partner with our NHS clients, their teams and patients to make a collective effort to reduce carbon emissions and have a positive impact.”