HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospitals in Highland and Breese receive national award for achievement in sustainability
In recognition of successful programs to reduce their environmental impact, HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital in Highland and HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital in Breese both received the Partner for Change Award from Practice Greenhealth, the nation’s leading organization dedicated to environmental sustainability in health care.
The award is one of the Environmental Excellence Awards given each year to honor environmental achievements in the health-care sector.
The Partner for Change Award recognizes health-care facilities that continuously improve and expand upon programs to eliminate mercury, reduce and recycle waste, source products sustainably, and more. Winning facilities must demonstrate that they are recycling at least 15 percent of their total waste, have reduced regulated medical waste, are on track to eliminate mercury, and have developed successful sustainability programs in many areas.
“As health-care providers, sustainability is at the core of our healing mission and central to protecting the health of our patients, staff and community,” said John Ludwig, president and CEO of St. Joseph’s Hospital in Highland. “We take pride in our sustainability programs and the positive impacts they have on the environment and the communities we serve.”
“Reverence for the earth is one of the ways that we live out our Franciscan values, said Paulette Evans, president and CEO of St. Joseph’s Hospital in Breese. “By taking steps to conserve our natural resources by eliminating hazardous materials and through our recycling efforts, we are following in the footsteps of St. Francis and our Hospital Sisters in caring for and protecting our environment.”
The award will be presented at the Practice Greenhealth Environmental Excellence Awards Gala, set for May 18 in Minneapolis, Minn., at the conclusion of the CleanMed Conference & Exhibition.
Along with HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospitals in Highland and Breese, two other hospitals in the Southern Illinois Division of Hospital Sisters Health System also were honored with awards from Practice Greenhealth – HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Belleville and HSHS St. Anthony’s Memorial Hospital in Effingham both won the Partner for Change Award along with Greening the OR Award. HSHS Holy Family Hospital in Greenville is also an affiliate of HSHS and part of the HSHS Southern Illinois Division.
– From the Illinois Business Journal
