Learn more about the Global Green and Healthy Hospitals network! 

Part A: About Global Green and Healthy Hospitals and its Agenda

What is Global Green and Healthy Hospitals (GGHH)?

Global Green and Healthy Hospitals is a worldwide community of hospitals, health care facilities, health systems and health organizations dedicated to reducing the ecological footprint of healthcare operations, in order to promote environmental and public health. The network is based on members’ commitment to implement the Global Green and Healthy Hospitals Agenda (available in EnglishSpanishPortuguese and Chinese) by developing more sustainable practices and by measuring progress over time. The GGHH community shares solutions and best practices. GGHH is a project of Health Care Without Harm (www.noharm.org).

GGHH:

  • Serves as an umbrella that brings ongoing healthcare sustainability efforts from different parts of the world together with a common vision and under a common framework;
  • Highlights best practices and inspires their replication and adoption;
  • Amplifies the good work going on around the world, including in places where it might be less visible;
  • Offers tools and resources to facilitate the implementation of sustainability practices by hospitals, health centers and health systems;
  • Provides a mechanism for members to measure their outcomes and report on their achievements; and
  • Establishes a forum for hospitals and health systems to communicate as peers in this endeavor.

 

What is the Global Green and Healthy Hospitals Agenda?

The Global Green and Healthy Hospitals Agenda is a document that provides a comprehensive framework for hospitals and health systems around the world to green their operations and improve environmental and public health, while often reducing operating costs. Participation with GGHH’s network is predicated upon endorsing the Agenda and agreeing to act upon it. The Agenda consists of ten interconnected sustainability goals. It is available in EnglishSpanishPortuguese and Chinese.

 

What is the Global Green and Healthy Hospitals Fund?

While membership is free of charge, HCWH has established the Global Green and Healthy Hospitals Fund to finance the development of this network. Hospitals, health systems and health organizations that can afford to make a contribution –large or small– are encouraged (but not required) to contribute to the fund. Contributions are purely voluntary, but most appreciated. Resources from this fund will be used to further develop the network and, to the degree possible, provide technical support for low-resource hospitals and health systems around the world.

To contribute, please contact Joshua Karliner at josh@hcwh.org

 

Part B: About the membership

 

Who can join GGHH?

Four categories of members can participate in Global Green and Healthy Hospitals:

  1. Hospitals commit to: endorsing the Global Green and Healthy Hospitals Agenda; implementing at least two of its goals; and developing an action plan to continuously improve their environmental performance.
  2. Health care facilities commit to: endorsing the Global Green and Healthy Hospitals Agenda; implementing at least two of its goals; and developing an action plan to continuously improve their environmental performance.
  3. Health systems commit to: endorsing the Global Green and Healthy Hospitals Agenda; encouraging individual hospitals in the system to join the network; working with individual hospitals and the system as-a-whole to implement at least two of its goals; developing an action plan to continuously improve of their environmental performance; and promoting environmental health at the policy level.
  4. Health organization Members commit to: endorsing the Global Green and Healthy Hospital Agenda; advocating for the Agenda’s goals; publicizing the agenda through their networks and encouraging hospitals and health systems to join; developing an action plan; and promoting environmental health at the policy level.

To join or for more information, visit: www.greenhospitals.net/join-the-network/

How can my hospital, health care facility, health system or organization join GGHH?

Hospitals, health systems, health care facilities or organizations can join GGHH by sending a letter of intent to participate in the network. A sample letter for each type of institution can be found here. The letter has to be signed by your organization’s director or by someone else with the authority to make a commitment to implement the GGHH Sustainability Goals.

Email your completed letter (preferably as a PDF) to: globalnetwork@hcwh.org and to sfakiel@hcwh.org. Address your letter to: Josh Karliner, International Director of Program and Strategy, Health Care Without Harm.

Shortly after submitting your letter of intent to join GGHH, you will receive a letter of confirmation and a welcome packet. The letter will provide you with the id and password of your institution to activate your account on GGHH Connect, the exclusive platform for GGHH members.

To formally activate the membership and receive the GGHH’s membership certificate, it is necessary to complete the profile form that can be found in GGHH Connect.

The members that don’t have a stable Internet GGHH Connection can get in touch with GGHH’s office in order to activate their membership. If this is the case, please contact us to: globalnetwork@hcwh.org.

For more information, visit Join the Network.

How do I complete/update my profile information?

Once your account on GGHH Connect is activated, go to Hippocrates to complete your profile information. Once your profile is complete, we will send you your GGHH membership certificate. If you want to add more Agenda goals to the sustainability work of your institutions, please update this information in your profile information. You will then receive an updated membership certificate.

If you’ve already received your membership certificate but would like to update the goals your institutions is working on, you will receive an updated membership certificate in 5-7 business days.
 

Where can I see if my hospital, health care facility, health system or organization is already a GGHH member?

The complete list of members is available here. If you work in a hospital, health system or organization that is already a member and would like to get in touch with the contact person of your institution, please contact us.

Why is it important for the letter to have a contact person?

The contact person is the institution’s representative that is able complete the membership process and participate in GGHH and GGHH Connect, the communications platform for members, in the name of the institution. It is assigned by the authority of the institution that signs the letter of intent to join.

It is very important to maintain the data of the contact person updated for the members to receive the communications and news about GGHH and to keep accounts on GGHH Connect up to date.

 

Does the letter have to be signed by a director?

No. The letter can be signed by your organization’s director or by someone else with the authority to make a commitment to implement the GGHH Agenda goals.

 

Is there a deadline to activate membership?

While there is no official deadline, we hope you activate your GGHH Connect account, complete your profile and receive your certificate as soon as possible. Please contact us is you need assistance.

 

Is individual registration allowed?

No. Memberships are organizational. If you are not part of an organization that joins GGHH, you can stay GGHH Connected and informed by signing up to GGHH’s newsletter and/or HCWH’s Global news list.

 

Can private companies that are not healthcare providers join GGHH?

No. Companies can stay GGHH Connected and informed by signing up to GGHH’s newsletter and/or HCWH’s Global news list.

Why should my organization consider joining GGHH?

By joining GGHH, your institution joins a worldwide community of sustainable healthcare leaders. Together, the impact of GGHH’s member commitments to green their operations can add up to make a real difference in terms of global health.

GGHH offers a diverse array of programs for members to take advantage of. From cutting edge online platforms that connect you with colleagues and experts from around the globe, to educational tools and events that keep you on the pulse of the sustainable health care field, to initiatives bringing together the global health sector to address environmental and public health issues, GGHH has something to assist every member achieve their sustainability goals. Plus, the costs savings that changes can provide over time may enable a health care provider to invest in new health promoting measures or services.

Can I invite others to become members?

Yes.  We encourage you to share referral information regarding prospective members to the GGHH office. You can email this information to us at GlobalNetwork@hcwh.org. We appreciate the role you play as principle contact with the hospitals you reach out to.

Can I use the GGHH name and logo?

Naturally you can use the name and logo but there are some necessary limitations on membership. Membership in GGHH does not bestow any sort of certification of a member’s hospital, system or organization as “green” and should not be used to imply certification. Members may identify themselves as members of GGHH but may not speak on behalf of Global Green and Healthy Hospitals, describe themselves as representatives of GGHH, or use the logo on their official materials for purposes other than identifying themselves as members of the network or without prior consent of the GGHH office.

 

Part C: About GGHH Connect, the exclusive platform for GGHH members

What is GGHH Connect?

GGHH Connect is a powerful multilingual Internet platform built in collaboration with Cisco and Skoll Foundation. GGHH Connect provides a hub to catalyze and accelerate large-scale change in the health sector. Members from around the world, for the first time, are able to meet, teach, and learn from each other’s experiences, thereby accelerating achievement of our shared sustainability and environmental health goals in a borderless environment. For more information

What will I find in GGHH Connect?

In addition to global collaboration opportunities, GGHH Connect houses a myriad new resources and tools, to assist members in their work, including:

  • Hippocrates | A cutting edge resource that puts the power of data management, goal bench marking, and progress tracking into the hands of each member. Housed on GGHH Connect, Hippocrates allows members to track, store, and visualize their data on a secure web-based platform. Data forms currently available for energy, waste, and climate. Access Hippocrates.
  • Guidance Documents | Comprehensive technical guides provide tools, actions and strategies for members to work on GGHH goals such as energy, waste, water, and buildings. Download the guidance documents
  • Team of Experts | Experts from around the world are online and available to answer questions, provide advice, and point members to resources to inform their work.
  • Case Studies | Learn about innovations and successful projects implemented by GGHH members on every continent. Read the case studies. We also invite you to send a case study to summarize one of your recent sustainability successes. Download the template for case studies
  • Webinars | Experts and members share strategies, research, and approaches for sustainable health care. Members have access to the webinar archive to access the recordings and presentations of all GGHH webinars. Access the GGHH Webinar Archive

How do I obtain the log in information to activate the account of my institution on GGHH Connect?

The activation information for your institution is sent with the welcome letter when your application is approved. If your institution is already a GGHH member and you haven’t activated your GGHH Connect account, please contact us.

 What happens if I forgot the password or I can’t start the session?

If you are a GGHH member and you have forgotten the password, you can recover it here. If you still have problems to enter GGHH Connect, please contact us.

What should be done if the contact person of an institution changes?

It is very important to maintain the data of the contact person current for the members to receive the communications and news about GGHH and to keep the GGHH Connect accounts up to date. If your institution has assigned a new contact person, you can update this information in your profile form in the Hippocrates Data Center (view video above).

You can also send us the name, last name, email and phone to globalnetwork@hcwh.org .

 

Part D: About the Case Studies

Why is it important to make a case study about the work from my institution related to the Agenda Goals?

GGHH encourages its members to share their case studies to highlight their successes and show their work experiences. Al case studies will be reviewed and considered for their publication on the GGHH website. You can download the case study’s template here. If need help, please contact us.

How can I submit a case study?

Sending a case study is very easy. First you can download here the template and, once it is completed with the information on the institution’s work, submit it to GGHH by email to globalnetwork@hcwh.org.

Is there another way to share information on the work of my institution?

Being a GGHH member means being part of a global community that facilitates the possibility of sharing experiences, questions, innovative strategies, challenges and information. We invite you to participate in the forums in GGHH Connect, the digital multilingual platform for GGHH members, where you can broadcast the work that is being done by your institution.

At the same time, there is a GGHH bi-monthly newsletter with information on the work being done by GGHH members. If you want to receive the newsletter, subscribe here. If you want to include an article, please send the information to globalnetwork@hcwh.org .

 

Part E: About Measuring the Progress

Is it necessary to implement all the actions from the Agenda Goals?

No. When your institution asked to be part of GGHH, at least two goals from the 10 agenda goals were chosen, in which the institution commits to working. To help you implement those actions, GGHH has listed a series of action items that others have implemented to accomplish the agenda goals. If you find them useful, you can choose one or many of these actions or you can suggest others more appropriate to your situation.

Can I cancel my institution’s membership if we don’t reach the goals?

You can cancel your institution’s membership at any time.  If your institution has problem reaching certain goals or implementing concrete actions please contact us so we can give you support.

How do GGHH members report and measure their progress?

Members report their progress via the Hippocrates Data Center. Hippocrates is a cutting edge resource that puts the power of data management, goal bench marking, and progress tracking into the hands of each member. Housed on GGHH Connect, Hippocrates allows members to track, store, and visualize their data on a secure web-based platform. Data Forms currently available for energy, waste, and climate.

What happens if I don’t have internet access?

Members that don’t have internet connection or one they feel is not secure can contact the GGHH office to activate their membership or receive/submit their data forms offline and via email. GGHH will upload your information into Hippocrates.

If that is your institution’s case, contact us.

 

Part F: About the Health Care Climate Challenge

What is the Health Care Climate Challenge?

The Health Care Climate Challenge (Climate Challenge) is an initiative organized by GGHH to mobilize the health care sector around the world to:

  • Reduce its carbon footprint and/or foster low carbon health care.
  • Build resiliency to climate change, and prepare for the impacts of extreme weather and the shifting burden of disease.
  • Help lead the effort for a healthy climate by educating staff and the public while promoting policies to protect public health from climate change.

Participants in the Climare Challenge will set targets to achieve these reductions and goals and track their progress over time.

 Who can participate?

Hospitals, health care facilities, health, professional and academic organizations, and health systems (GGHH members and non-members) that sign the Health Care Climate Challenge Pledge and agree to share data on their carbon reduction, resiliency and leadership initiatives can participate in the Climate Challenge.

How do I sign up for the Health Care Climate Challenge?

GGHH members and non-members that fit GGHH’s membership categories can sign the pledge. Participants will be granted automatic membership in GGHH if they don’t have it.

To sign up, your institution’s director or an authorized leader from your health care institution needs to sign the official Health Care Climate Challenge Pledge. If you are already a GGHH member, the designated contact person can also endorse the Pledge.

Once the pledge is received, the organization will be notified within 10 business days of their approval and entry into the Challenge.

How will participants submit data and track their progress?

All participants will fill out data forms to set their targets and track annual progress. These data forms are available via the Hippocrates Data Center, accessible via GGHH Connect.

Upon entry into the Climate Challenge all participants will receive an account on GGHH Connect and Hippocrates, as well as guides on how to use the platform and fill out their data forms.

Will participants be rewarded for their accomplishments?

Yes, Health Care Climate Challenge Awards are distributed annually to participants who make significant achievements. Participants are eligible for awards in 6 individual categories. Those participants who achieve top awards in several categories run for the top award of Climate Champion. For more information on the awards, click here.

What happens with information I submit during the Climate Challenge?

All information and data that an organization submits as part of the Challenge will be kept strictly confidential. The data may be used anonymously to aggregate averages across all Challenge participants. An organization and their unique data and progress will never be made public without prior consent of the organization.

How do I access the forms and data that I have submitted?

All information is submitted via Hippocrates Data Center. Housed on GGHH Connect, Hippocrates allows members to track, store, and visualize their data on a secure web-based platform.

 

Part G: About the GGHH newsletter

What is the GGHH newsletter?

The GGHH newsletter is a bi-monthly news digest sent via email. It contains updates from the GGHH program including upcoming events, new tools and resources, and news from GGHH members from around the globe. To access the archive of GGHH newsletters, click on: https://noharm-global.org/issues/global/global-green-and-healthy-hospitals-newsletter.

How can I subscribe to the GGHH newsletter?

To subscribe to the GGHH newsletter, please visit https://noharm-global.org/newsletter/subscribe. Main contact people for GGHH member institutions are added automatically to the GGHH news list, unless they choose not to be.

How can I unsubscribe from the GGHH newsletter?

If you are already receiving the GGHH newsletter but wish not to receive it anymore, you will find an option to unsubscribe at the bottom of the newsletters. Please click on it and follow the steps. You will automatically be removed from the mailing list.