Sustainability
We’re lowering our carbon footprint and helping our partners do the same
Our goal is to make healthcare more sustainable
Climate change is a pressing healthcare issue. In the process of caring for patients, healthcare takes its toll on the environment. Not only does our industry consume significant natural resources, such as energy and water, it also generates tons of landfill waste.
To keep people and the planet safe and healthy, we’re committed to building a future where healthcare operates more sustainably. That’s why we’re investing in green technologies and creating practical solutions that help conserve natural resources and reduce waste. Our actions are lightening our ecological footprint and helping our partners to do the same.
Discover real-world, eco-friendly solutions
We offer programs designed to help our healthcare partners make a positive impact on the environment and reduce costs.
Centurion
This eco-friendly option recovers premium surgical instruments from the waste stream and reduces regulated medical waste costs.
ReNewal Medical Device Reprocessing
We help minimize hospital waste by reprocessing medical devices so they may be safely used again.
Tote Exchange
By delivering products in reusable totes instead of cardboard containers, we’ve helped significantly reduce the amount of cardbooard in our supply chain.
Waste-to-Energy Gloves Program
Since 2018, we’ve transformed 2,156 pounds of gloves from 23 partners into clean, renewable energy.
Packaging waste: your frustration is our inspiration
Our quest to discover, innovate and improve sustainable practices is ongoing. And when it comes to packaging, we share your frustrations—from the amount of waste it generates to the space it takes up and the time needed to sort through it.
So, we launched a Sustainable Packaging Lab—a cross-functional team of R&D, sustainability, operations and design experts and engineers to reimagine the way we package our products for a more sustainable future. Within a year of the lab’s creation, the Sustainable Packaging Lab was awarded a 2021 Sustainability, Environmental Achievement and Leadership (SEAL) award for its innovations.
Explore our latest packaging innovations that are reducing waste not just across our own supply chain, but our partners’ as well.
Cold chain shipping
Cold chain packaging ensures products reach their destination at a set temperature, which is more important now than ever. Our previous cold chain packaging underutilized space and generated unnecessary waste. After review by the Sustainable Packaging Lab, previous delivery, shipping and storage methods were scrapped, and a sustainable and efficient design was introduced.
Click the icons to explore 
Click the icons to explore
Chipboard pallet sheets
The way we store product in our facilities can impact the amount of product that can be housed per branch, as well as our ability to deliver product on time. Our new chipboard pallet sheets not only save square footage and allow our team to better optimize warehouse space, but they are the right choice for the environment, too
Click the icons to explore
Click the icons to explore
Choose green products to help protect the environment
Now more than ever, healthcare providers need new and innovative ways to lighten their environmental footprint. We’re here to help with eco-friendly products, designed to help reduce waste, conserve energy and protect the health and well-being of people and the planet.
What we’re doing to make a difference
- Minimizing fuel consumption in our transportation fleet
- Streamlining deliveries and transportation services whenever possible
- Implementing environmental management systems that meet global standards
- Investing in clean sources of energy
- Donating surplus product to clinics in need around the world
- Participating in industry work groups to make more green products available throughout healthcare
10,751,066 kwh
Amount of energy produced from our solar portfolio
$33.3
million
invested in solar energy
Replaced 105
MedTrans trucks
with more fuel efficient vehicles
105
MedTrans trucks
with more fuel efficient vehicles
2,156
pounds of gloves
converted to renewable energy since 2018
513
metric tons of waste diverted
from landfills
24,000+
solar panels
installed
globally
10 facilities
using renewable
sources of
energy
98% LEED-certified
98%
LEED-certified
distribution space
IN THE NEWS
How we’re helping to build a healthier, more sustainable future
- December 21, 2022Volunteer trips, supplies aid ‘life-saving’ cleft palate surgeries
- December 13, 2022The top Medline Newsroom stories of 2022
- November 29, 202250 nonprofit organizations benefit from Medline Month of Service
Sharing our progress
We hold ourselves accountable for our progress toward becoming a more sustainable company. Along with sharing data about our emissions, we track our environmental performance over time, and we’re committed to improving year over year. Check out our 2020 Social Responsibility Report for more details.
References
1. “Waste” Practice Greenhealth. Accessed May 29, 2020. https://practicegreenhealth.org/topics/waste/waste-0.