May 10, 2024
DENVER — In recognition of its achievement and innovation in health care sustainability, Denver Health received the 2024 Partner for Change Award and Circle of Excellence Award for energy from Practice Greenhealth, the nation’s leading organization dedicated to environmental sustainability in health care.
The Partner for Change Award recognizes Denver Health’s ongoing commitment to improving its environmental performance and its efforts to build sustainability and resiliency into the operations and culture of Denver Health.
The Circle of Excellence Award for energy celebrates hospitals that have not only earned an award for all around sustainability achievement, but have also been identified as the top scoring programs for the sustainability category of energy.
“In a shifting health care landscape, a focus on sustainability can help build resilience while better protecting the health of patients and the community,” said Gary Cohen, Practice Greenhealth founder. “Denver Health demonstrates the kind of leadership, innovation and performance that can drive the entire health sector toward more environmentally responsible practices.”
In 2023, Denver Health signed onto the White House/HHS Health Sector Climate Pledge to reduce carbon emissions by 50% by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050. Since that time, Denver Health has been working to retrofit the entire organization with LEDs, and more than 19,000 light fixtures have been replaced.
Denver Health also formalized an agreement with the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment’s Good Food Purchasing Program through 2026 to foster a transparent and equitable food system that prioritizes the well-being of community members and the environment.
In 2024, Denver Health has new goals to further its mission to promote the health care system as an environmentally sustainable, high-quality health care institution that addresses the needs of patients in the community in the face of a changing climate. These goals include reducing energy use and increasing the amount of sustainable energy used, improving waste management practices and more.
These awards are a part of Practice Greenhealth’s Environmental Excellence Awards given annually to honor health care’s achievements in sustainability.
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About Denver Health
Denver Health is a comprehensive health and hospital system that provides high-quality care and proudly serves as the city’s safety net hospital. For more than 160 years, Denver Health has been guided by its mission to serve the people of Denver, to educate the next generation of health care professionals and to engage in research and community partnerships to better deliver the health care needs of our patients while strengthening our community.
About Practice Greenhealth
Practice Greenhealth is the leading membership and networking organization for sustainable health care, delivering environmental solutions to more than 1,700 U.S. hospitals and health systems. Learn more at practicegreenhealth.org.