Welcome back to The HQ podcast, where we continue our insightful series on Planetary Health. In our last episode, Dr. Husein Moloo introduced the concept of planetary health, providing valuable insights on how we can shift from eco-anxiety to eco-action. His discussion laid the foundation for understanding the broader impact of environmental sustainability within the healthcare sector.

Today, we dive deeper into this crucial topic by focusing on organizational change. Specifically, we explore how entire healthcare organizations can implement meaningful eco-actions and lead the way in environmental stewardship and sustainability. We are honoured to be joined by the three Co-Chairs of Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre’s Green Task Force: Michael Lithgow, Dr. Susan Deering, and Genny Ng. These leaders share their extensive experiences and insights, demonstrating how Sunnybrook is driving sustainability initiatives and setting an example for others in the healthcare industry.

Tune in to gain valuable insights on leading organizational change for planetary health and learn how you can contribute to making a positive impact on both human health and the environment.

Key Discussions:

Introducing the Green Task Force: Our guests share their backgrounds and the spark that ignited their journeys into planetary health. They discuss the formation and evolution of Sunnybrook’s Green Task Force.

Overcoming Challenges: The panel discusses the obstacles they’ve faced in promoting sustainability within the healthcare setting and the strategies they used to overcome them.

Engaging the Organization: The secrets behind successfully engaging staff and building momentum for eco-action across the organization are revealed.

Quality Improvement and Sustainability: The background in quality improvement supports the Task Force’s goals, with collaborative efforts driving their success.

The Role of Design in Planetary Health: The importance of design in sustainable healthcare infrastructure and adapting existing structures to new environmental values is explored.

Impact on Patient Care: The direct impact of sustainability initiatives on patient care and why planetary health matters to patients and families is discussed.

Achieving and Scaling Success: The panel shares their proudest achievements and the key elements that have contributed to their success, providing actionable insights for other organizations.

Sustaining and Growing Initiatives: The resources required to sustain and grow their initiatives are discussed, emphasizing the role of leadership and strategic planning.

Future Directions: The episode concludes with a look at what’s next for the Green Task Force at Sunnybrook and final words of wisdom for others inspired to take eco-action.

About Our Guests:

Michael Lithgow: Manager of Energy & Climate Action in the Plant Operations and Maintenance Department at Sunnybrook. A Professional Engineer with over 30 years in energy efficiency and green buildings, Michael is dedicated to advancing sustainability initiatives at Sunnybrook.

Dr. Susan Deering: Division Lead for Long-Term Care in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at Sunnybrook. Passionate about reducing healthcare’s environmental impact, Susan is currently pursuing her Master of Public Health with a focus on climate change and human health.

Genny Ng: Manager of Quality & Patient Safety at Sunnybrook. With a background in respiratory therapy and quality improvement, Genny is a driving force behind Sunnybrook’s sustainability efforts, including the introduction of beehives to the...