Responsible behaviour
Ulm University Hospital is one of the largest employers in the region and, with a total of 29 clinics and 16 institutes, provides maximum care for the regions of East Wuerttemberg, Danube/Iller and Lake Constance-Upper Swabia. In this position, we are aware of our ecological, social and economic responsibility.
We see the well-being of our patients and the satisfaction of our employees as the measure of our success. The protection of natural resources and the targeted, forward-looking and needs-based use of these resources is the guiding principle for our actions. We strive to find solutions that reconcile the needs of our specialised care mandate with the efficient use of resources.
We believe that sustainable corporate management not only sets the course for securing the future of the University Medicine site, but is also essential for protecting our natural resources.
Our special responsibility towards patients, employees and the environment is always at the centre of our actions.
As a university hospital, we are committed to providing first-class maximum care and face the task of investigating the causes of diseases and working towards their elimination or alleviation on a daily basis. A clean and natural environment is an essential prerequisite for people to be born healthy, grow up healthy and live healthy lives. However, climate change and the increasing pollution of water, soil and air are jeopardising this prerequisite. Extreme weather events such as heatwaves, droughts, floods and forest fires can have a negative impact on human health. Periods of heat can lead to increased stress on the cardiovascular system as well as an increase in infectious diseases and allergies. Air and environmental pollution can aggravate or cause respiratory diseases, among other things. In order to counteract these negative effects on health, it is a central concern of the UKU to make a contribution to greater environmental and climate protection and to promote this in particular as a preventive measure to maintain health.
We are always aware that cutting-edge medicine in 24-hour operation requires a high consumption of energy and resources and therefore has a significant impact on the environment and the climate.
Further information can be found at RKI - Climate change and health.
With its multidimensional range of topics, sustainable action affects various areas and specialisms. In 2022, the establishment of a central sustainability management team, which assumes an overarching coordination and organisational function, created the basis for the expansion and targeted management of sustainability activities within the company. As sustainable thinking and action are to be anchored throughout the entire organisation and in the corporate culture in the long term, sustainability ambassadors from the various organisational units were appointed in addition to the establishment of a central structure for sustainability management.
The aim of the structure created is to establish an internal network in which learning and synergy effects can be utilised and sustainable measures can be jointly promoted and implemented at UKU in the coming years.
Only by working together can we make an active contribution to protecting our natural resources and preventively counteract the effects of climate change on health.
