- On World Environment Day, the group values environmental certifications and policies that contribute to the sustainable development of an essential and essential activity, such as health care.
- Environmental protection and pollution prevention are allies of the responsible health policy carried out in its twelve hospitals, 35 polyclinics and 64 Primary Care centers.
The health group Ribera It has been developing policies that contribute to the sustainable development of its activity for more than 25 years. Linked to its responsible health policy, the group is committed to protecting the environment and preventing pollution, aware that its commitment also favorably influences the health and well-being of the citizens of the areas in which it operates. In fact, in the group's 2022 Sustainability Report, which will be published soon, it is valued that 84% of the energy consumed in its twelve hospitals, 64 Primary Care centers and 35 polyclinics of the Ribera health group is of renewable origin.
In the context of World Environment Day, the Ribera group wanted to highlight some of the most important environmental indicators of its activity. World Environment Day is the largest global platform for environmental outreach and is celebrated by millions of people around the world, led by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and celebrated every June 5 since 1973. The UN makes an urgent call this year to "keep global warming below 1,5 degrees Celsius this century, halving annual greenhouse gas emissions by 2030." If we don't act now, he says, "exposure to polluted air will increase by 50% in this decade." "Time is running out and nature is in an emergency situation", they stand out in this year's campaign, whose video you can see in this link.
The Ribera sanitary group has numerous environmental certifications and a corporate Environmental Policy that is applicable to all its activities. The management of energy, waste and development, as well as the constant monitoring of the results of the climate strategy are some of the axes on which the environmental policy revolves. To the certifications obtained in previous years and which are renewed annually, in 2022 the ISO 14001 certification of Environmental Management Systems of the Vinalopó University Hospital and the Carbon Footprint certification in the hospitals of Denia, Ribera Hospital de Molina (Murcia ) and Ribera Juan Cardona (Ferrol).
Over the years, Ribera has adopted the appropriate measures in relation to the protection and improvement of the environment and the minimization, where appropriate, of the environmental impact, complying with current regulations in this regard. But, in addition, during 2022, it has developed action plans focused on expanding hospitals with their certified carbon footprint; carry out the registration of the carbon footprint in the Ministry of Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge; continue to reduce the use of plastic; train professionals in good environmental practices, with special emphasis on the correct segregation of waste; and raise awareness of the sustainable use of resources.
The health group allocates almost one million euros to the prevention of environmental risks. In addition, the group highlights that the Vinalopó Hospital has four Joint Commission International accreditations (Enterprise, Coronary Bypass Surgery Program, Vinalopó Health Department and Hospital) and the Ribera Povisa hospital has also been accredited by the Joint Commission International. This is the most prestigious health accreditation that allows these group hospitals to be among the best centers in the world. In fact, one of the key aspects to obtain it is to prove good risk management, specifically the environmental part of the management.
The group has waste management plans whose purpose is to disclose information on the type, location, identification, storage conditions, safe use and disposal of materials and hospital waste, each according to its classification. 77% of the waste generated by the group is categorized as "non-hazardous".
Reduction of food waste and energy and water consumption
Management to reduce food waste is another of the axes of the group's environmental policy. For example, at the Ribera Juan Cardona hospital they have committed to halving food waste through the Stop Food Waste program, the Torrejón Hospital has a protocol against food waste, as a result of which it has managed to reduce it by 49 % compared to 2021. At the Ribera Povisa Hospital, for example, they prioritize the purchase of single-dose products, so that the reduction in meal preparation is minimal.
With regard to the group's energy consumption, in 2022 it has been reduced by 15% compared to the previous year. In addition, Ribera continues to bet on the generation of renewable energy and the purchase of renewable electricity from marketers. These measures seek to reduce the group's carbon footprint through the use and production of renewable energy. During the past year, the Ribera Polusa Hospital and the Santo Domingo Clinic, the Ribera Povisa and Ribera Juan Cardona hospitals and the Denia Health Department have added to the use of renewable electricity. Together with the Hospital de Torrejón, Vinalopó and its health centers and Ribera Hospital de Molina, the Group has purchased 34.413,63 MWh of electricity from 100% renewable sources, which represents 84% of the total electricity purchased during this financial year.
Regarding the renewable energy produced, the Ribera health group has solar panels at the Vinalopó, Torrejón, Juan Cardona and Molina del Segura Hospitals. In addition, the Molina del Segura Hospital has solar thermal energy, which, together with photovoltaics, means an increase in the consumption of energy from renewable sources. These plates are used for the consumption of hot water and electricity generation, achieving energy savings in the production of hot water.
Another fact that confirms the commitment to reducing the use of scarce resources is the lower consumption of water registered in 2022 compared to 2021. Always guaranteeing the safety of patients, the group is committed to raising public awareness and the professionals themselves for a sustainable use of these resources. And with these policies and awareness campaigns, in just one year the cubic meters consumed have been reduced by 36.600.
