Environmental sustainability is an important quality statement in the well-led area of the Care Quality Commission’s Single Assessment Framework (SAF). Introduced as part of the regulator’s aims to improve the quality and safety of care, the new quality statement focusses on ensuring health and social care providers take active steps towards ensuring the principles of net zero are embedded in the planning and delivery of care.
Currently the environmental sustainability quality statement does not form part of CQC’s assessment in care homes. The regulator plans to develop and co-produce their approach to assessing this quality statement prior to roll out. However, CQC expects providers to be aware of and follow best practice guidance in five key areas:
- Carbon reduction, including travel, medicines, and supply chain
- Travel
- Medicines
- Estates and facilities
- Extreme weather
Talking environmental sustainability
In our second Health & Social Care sector focussed ESG podcast, Jill Mason, Partner and Head of Health and Care is joined by Joanne Balmer, CEO of Oakland Care and Torsten Mack, Investment Director at Downing LLP, to explore all things ESG in the care sector.
Joanne and Torsten share valuable insights and practical tips on why making sustainability part of your care business is the right thing to do for your residents, staff and at the same time provides confidence to your investors.
Listen to the podcast here.
Here are a few insights from our speakers.
Joanne Balmer (BEM), Chief Executive Officer, Oakland Care
“The piece of advice I’d give to providers at the start of their ESG journey is think about who you get to lead on ESG in the business.”
“The biggest success for us has been employing people who are connected with the front line and are very passionate about ESG. They’ve been able to raise awareness and bring people into the firm.”
Torsten Mack, Investment Director, Downing LLP
“Investors are expecting the investment firms that are managing their capital to incorporate ESG into their thinking.”
“We strongly believe that if as a company you have fully embraced ESG, you have a comprehensive strategy, you have the resources to address all these challenges, that will be valued positively by investors.”
If you’d like to discuss any of these issues or find out how we can support, do get in touch.
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