Moving Towards Net Zero through Digital 

Moving towards net zero through digital 
Moving Towards Net Zero through Digital 
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Achieving net zero carbon emissions is a cornerstone of the NHS's commitment to environmental sustainability. As the healthcare sector increasingly relies on digital technologies, it is essential to address both the environmental impact of these technologies and their potential to improve healthcare delivery. Digital solutions can significantly reduce emissions by streamlining operations, optimising resource use, and minimising the need for patient travel. For example, remote monitoring and virtual consultations can decrease carbon footprints associated with transportation, contributing to the NHS's sustainability goals.

However, the rise in digital infrastructure also brings challenges. The rapid growth of data consumption and digital devices can lead to increased carbon emissions if not managed responsibly. Therefore, the NHS must adopt a dual approach that embraces digital innovations while ensuring that these technologies are sustainable in their own right. This includes energy-efficient data centres, responsible sourcing of materials, and reducing electronic waste.

This award will recognise organisations or projects that successfully integrate digital solutions to advance their sustainability agenda. Judges will look for initiatives embedded in the organisation’s Green Plan that demonstrate a commitment to long-term, impactful change in both healthcare delivery and environmental stewardship.

Eligibility

  • All NHS organisations (including providers, partnerships and systems), General Practice and primary care organisations
  • Evidence must relate to a project, ongoing or completed within the 2 years up until the award entry deadline

Ambition

  • Describe the biggest environmental challenges your organisation or health system faces, particularly regarding carbon emissions and sustainability, and how this project will help alleviate them.
  • Explain the project aims and the strategic thinking behind the necessity of integrating digital solutions to achieve sustainability goals.
  • Define the intended measures of success and include detail on the environmental benchmarks used to assess progress.

Outcome

  • Describe how the project was seamlessly developed and deployed while ensuring minimal disruption to patients and staff, focusing on maintaining service continuity during implementation.
  • Evidence the performance of the project against targets, including any financial, environmental, operational, and clinical metrics that reflect its impact on sustainability.
  • Share how sustainability principles have been integrated into the organisation or system’s digital processes and policies, addressing both the benefits and challenges of digital infrastructure growth.

Value

  • Evidence the overall environmental impact achieved, including reductions in carbon emissions and improved resource efficiency.
  • Discuss how this digital project has contributed to the broader mission of sustainable development within your organisation/system and how it will achieve lasting impact on both health outcomes and environmental stewardship.
  • Share supporting evidence of beneficial impacts on staff or patients as a result of the project, highlighting quantitative or qualitative improvements.

Involvement

  • Describe the working relationship between any technology partners and the NHS organisation that enabled a genuinely co-produced solution focused on sustainability.
  • Share how staff were engaged across multiple functions and departments to work towards the net zero vision and how they adopted the new product or service.
  • Explain how patients, service users, and the community were involved in the design, planning, and implementation of this project and other green initiatives.

Spread

  • Describe and if possible, evidence how the learnings from the project have been shared across or beyond your organisation/system
  • Evidence how sustainable digital development is becoming business as usual across the organisation or system
  • Discuss the scope for further replication or scaling up of this project in other settings

Moving Towards Net Zero through Digital 

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To find out more

Entries, attendance and partnership enquiries, contact Faysal Chaudhry 
Media and marketing enquiries, contact Honey de Gracia
Judging and event management, contact Awards Support