AccScience Publishing / GHES / Online First / DOI: 10.36922/ghes.5663
ORIGINAL RESEARCH ARTICLE

Sustainable procurement in healthcare based on the ISO 20400 framework and its environmental, social, and governance effects

Keerthi D Souza1,2,3,4* Nitin Labhasetwar5 Lallu Joseph3,6,7 Karan Thakur3,8 Vijay Agarwal7
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1 Indian Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, Ghaziabad, India
2 CSIR-National Environmental Engineering Research Institute, Nagpur, India
3 Sustainability Forum, Consortium of Accredited Healthcare Organizations, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India
4 Life Giver Professional Services, LLP, Chennai, India
5 Department of Energy and Resource Management, CSIR-National Environmental Engineering Research Institute, Nagpur, India
6 Department of Quality Management, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India
7 Consortium of Accredited Healthcare Organizations, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India
8 Corporate Affairs and Sustainability, Apollo Hospitals Group, New Delhi, India
Submitted: 29 October 2024 | Revised: 12 March 2025 | Accepted: 13 March 2025 | Published: 2 April 2025
© 2025 by the Author(s). This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ )
Abstract

Sustainable procurement in the health sector is vital for integrating sustainability into the value chain, decreasing environmental impact, and ensuring socially beneficial practices. This study attempted to analyze the importance of sustainable procurement in hospitals, the applicability of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 20400 framework in healthcare, and the effect of the Consortium of Accredited Healthcare Organizations (CAHO) masterclass on professionals’ understanding of sustainable procurement. To understand sustainable procurement and its correlation to ISO 20400, a literature review was conducted. Statistical evaluation was employed to evaluate the impact of the CAHO’s masterclass on professionals’ awareness, intention to adopt, and perceived value of sustainable procurement through dialog and feedback from questionnaires. Data were kept confidential and anonymous. Leading organizations, such as the United Nations Development Program, World Health Organization, and ISO, are advocating for sustainable procurement. The ISO 20400 framework offers valuable guidance for sustainability in procurement and has many benefits if implemented in the healthcare sector. The masterclass significantly increased awareness, with 93% of participants agreeing on the benefits. Major strategies, challenges, and a mix of contributions by sustainable procurement toward efficiency and social responsibility were discussed throughout the sessions. The results indicate that training schemes are necessary for sustainable procurement globally. CAHO initiatives play a crucial role in raising awareness for global procurement, helping healthcare institutions enhance cost efficiency, minimize risks, and promote sustainability by enhancing economic, environmental, and social performance.

Keywords
Sustainable procurement
Supply chain
Environmental social and governance in healthcare
Reduced energy consumption
Social impact
Economic impact
Governance
Funding
None.
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
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Global Health Economics and Sustainability, Electronic ISSN: 2972-4570 Print ISSN: 3060-8546, Published by AccScience Publishing