On 11 June 2025, during NUH Green Day, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu formally announced that NUH is the first hospital worldwide to earn the Healthcare Sustainability Certification, a collaboration between Joint Commission International (USA) and the International Hospital Federation’s Geneva Sustainability Centre. This certification was granted after a rigorous evaluation using the Geneva Sustainability Centre’s Sustainability Accelerator Tool (SAT), which assesses organisational strength across environmental impact, governance, and health equity.
NUH’s recognition places it at the forefront of sustainable healthcare worldwide. As noted by Jonathan Perlin, CEO of JCI, and Ron Lavater, CEO of IHF, the award affirms that NUH’s governance structure, operational strategy, and performance benchmarks set a global standard—especially for Asian health institutions.
Operational Innovations Driving Environmental Impact
NUH’s “plastic‑lite” campaign has reduced plastic bag usage at pharmacies by over 400,000 bags annually, with a further 200,000 bags cut through eliminating deskside bins in offices. These efforts, along with transitioning from high-carbon anaesthetic gases like desflurane to greener alternatives, have reduced CO₂ emissions equivalent to taking 400 cars off the road.
Further, optimising air exchange rates in operating theatres has lowered energy consumption by up to 40% without compromising patient safety. From 2020 to 2024, NUH achieved nearly a 30% reduction in total waste and doubled its recycling rates, aligning with its longer-term target of a 60% recycling rate by 2030.
Frontline Initiatives: Nurses Empowered to Recycle
Under the Sort-at-Source initiative, nurses pilot waste segregation directly at medication trolleys in outpatient wards. Launched in May 2025 across three pilot wards, the initiative resulted in a 47% increase in paper recycling and a 230% rise in plastic recycling. A full rollout across all 44 wards is planned by end‑2025, expected to recover nearly 24,000 kg of recyclables annually.
This programme is led by NUH’s Nursing Sustainability Committee, the first of its kind in Singapore. The committee empowers clinical staff to embed green practices into daily patient care and operational routines—demonstrating sustainability as part of core professional responsibility.
Staff Innovation Honours Sustainable Leadership
During NUH Green Day 2025, nine staff-led innovations were recognised in the “Incredible Care for Our Planet Awards”. Highlights include:
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A computer auto-shutdown protocol in outpatient areas saving 436,800 kWh annually (equivalent to cooling 243 homes a year and saving S$95,000).
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Repacking of surgical trays, reducing CO₂ emissions by 42%, saving 151,800 L of water.
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Changes in antibiotic prescription guidelines that avoided 14,700 kg of CO₂ emissions while maintaining low infection rates.
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Paperless workflows and energy optimisation resulting in over 166,000 sheets of paper saved yearly.
These initiatives reflect how sustainability is embedded in daily operations and clinical systems across NUH.
Sustainability Anchored for the Long Term
NUH’s certification aligns with the NUHS Green Plan Roadmap, targeting net-zero emissions by 2045 and embedding environmental stewardship across healthcare clusters. By integrating green innovations into clinical, operational, and infrastructure planning, NUH provides a blueprint for hospitals across Asia and beyond.
Its global-first certification not only honours NUH’s achievements but signals how sustainability can be systematically embedded in healthcare delivery—for staff, patients, and the planet.
