Trends / ESG : The New Paradigm for Corporate Strategy
product safety ( 53 %), environmentally friendly products ( 51 %), DEI ( 49 %), and supply chain resiliency ( 43 %).
• The top five ESG topics that health systems look for in their suppliers are : environmentally friendly products ( 65 %), supplier diversity ( 65 %), environmentally friendly programs ( 54 %), product packaging ( 55 %), and product safety ( 58 %).
ESG priorities can vary by region . “ In the U . S ., environmental sustainability , DEI , and supplier diversity are top priorities . In Europe , ethical sourcing is more of a focus , while supplier diversity is hardly considered a concept ,” says Evelyn Miller , Medline Senior Manager , ESG .
Healthcare suppliers fully integrate ESG strategy Suppliers are responding to this
Healthcare systems — long focused on saving lives and improving human health — have always been mission-driven organizations . However , the widespread adoption of ESG has required them to formalize these efforts by tracking and reporting on key metrics .
Currently , Medline is prioritizing DEI , ethical sourcing , GHG emissions , supplier diversity , and sustainable products , programs and packaging . The plan is to address immediate ESG drivers , while simultaneously launching the infrastructure to realize and sustain long-term performance , including the creation of global data .
“ ESG in a sense is mandatory for the company to undertake because what is driving us to do these things are regulatory compliance and customer expectations , both of which we need to satisfy ,” said Alex Liberman , Medline Chief Legal Officer , who oversees the company ’ s ESG effort . “ We take a lot of pride in making Medline net positive in the world . Everyone involved is very sincere and energized about this undertaking .” ■ shift in buying behavior . Medline is ensuring that their products are made responsibly by applying rigorous ethical standards to every link in their supply chain . “ By embracing ESG now , we ’ re positioning Medline to succeed in the future ,” says Miller . Reference 1 Survey data on file . kali9 / E + via Getty Images
6 SUPPLY CHAIN OPTIMIZATION Issue 6 / 2023