10 July 2025
ISEP have launched a new report discusses the sustainability risks and challenges faced by the NHS.
In the face of a global climate and biodiversity crises, the COVID-19 pandemic, and a range of social and economic risks, sustainability has moved up the agenda of countries and organisations.
These interrelated and compounding challenges will ultimately affect, and in some cases determine, the health of our planet and people across the world. Sustainability is therefore a crucial and growing agenda. It aims to improve the quality of our lives, protect the natural world and preserve natural resources for future generations.
The NHS is an important institution which plays a key role in the health and well-being of all people in the United Kingdom. The NHS has a range of opportunities to contribute to deliver sustainability and to have a positive impact on people and planet. To implement sustainability across Trusts, Health, Specialist or National Boards will require significant engagement from a range of roles throughout the NHS, with one key role being Non-Executive Directors (NEDs).
In their role, NEDs can have significant influence over the strategic direction of their Trust/Board and therefore will play a key role in the integration of sustainability.
However, our research and discussions within the NHS have revealed that, often, NEDs feel they do not have the knowledge or confidence to raise or challenge on sustainability within the NHS.
To address this gap and to empower NEDs, this report has been created as a first step in supporting them to understand the sustainability issues that face the NHS, as well as providing tools to enable them to support, encourage, and challenge sustainability within their Trust/Healthboard.
The report has been written by Nature Positive, an RSK Group company, and ISEP, using extensive consultation through a survey, roundtables and interviews with sustainability leads and NEDs in the NHS.
Tools in the guide include:
–> 8 things NEDs in the NHS can do to integrate sustainability.
–> Sustainability conversation starters for NEDs
–> 3 steps NED’s can take to help prioritise and structure how sustainability it is adopted within their organisation.
