Last year, IWK Health launched the Going Green strategic initiative, taking an important step in committing to reducing its environmental impact. Now, as part of a growing focus on environmental, social, and governance (ESG), a dedicated Health System Sustainability portfolio, sitting under the VP, Medicine, Quality and Safety was formed. Leading this portfolio, in the new Executive Lead, Health System Sustainability role, is MaryLynn VanTassel, whose dedication and vision are set to guide IWK Health towards the organization’s deepening commitment to sustainability.
In this newly created role, VanTassel will spearhead efforts to make sustainability a core focus at IWK Health, helping turn green aspirations into lasting, meaningful actions. While environmental sustainability is a priority focus, this position is tied to the broader ESG framework, incorporating the environmental impact (E), social responsibility (S), and governance (G). While VanTassel won’t directly oversee all aspects of the social and governance pillars, she will be an advocate, working to bridge gaps and help track progress across all three ESG pillars.
“One of my goals too, is to help increase the visibility of healthcare’s impact on the environment,” says VanTassel. “It's really about the health and well-being of our people. We need a healthy planet to have healthy people.”
The healthcare sector in Canada is responsible for approximately 4.6 per cent of the country's total greenhouse gas emissions, which is comparable to emissions from major industries like aviation. This makes healthcare one of the top polluting sectors in the country, contributing significantly to climate change.
Impactful change to our environmental impact means creating and implementing initiatives around energy conservation, waste reduction, building design, active transportation, clinical practices and sustainable procurement practices. This part of the new leadership role aligns with IWK’s strategic priority of environmental sustainability and the Going Green initiative, which aims to make the hospital more environmentally friendly in its day-to-day operations. The vision is to embed planetary health principles in all that we do, from business practices, to managing our facilities, to delivering care.
As a first-of-its-kind leadership position at IWK Health, this role will help give environmental sustainability a voice to advocate for change both within the health centre and with our community partners. “I think we’re uniquely positioned to lead change, not just in Nova Scotia but all of Atlantic Canada,” notes VanTassel.