What Can Hospitals Learn from The Coca-Cola Company? Health Care Sustainability Reporting

Abstract

Summary The climate crisis and the Covid-19 pandemic are revealing limits to the economic, environmental, and social resources and systems on which society depends. These dual crises are driving increased demand for transparent, equitable, and sustainable enterprise and, consequently, a significant change in business strategy and operations. Corporations of all kinds are undertaking a new form of accounting that not only captures financial performance, but also measures efforts to mitigate the destructive impacts that business operations have on the environment and society. Many corporations, such as The Coca-Cola Company, now publish regular reports using standardized frameworks to communicate progress in sustainability initiatives. In contrast, the U.S. health care delivery system — a financial behemoth that generates substantial adverse environmental and social impacts — has yet to engage in this important practice. In this article, the authors discuss the numerous benefits to the U.S. health care sector from mandated participation in cutting-edge sustainability management and accounting.