EEAST Sustainability Strategy 2024-25
Meeting: Public Meeting
Date: 10 July 2024
Report Title: EEAST Sustainability Strategy 2024-25
Agenda Item: PUB24/07/6.1
Author: Craig Penfold – Head of Strategic Workforce Planning
Lead director: Dr Hein Scheffer – Director of Strategy, Culture and Education
Purpose: Decision Approval
Link to CQC domain:
- Well-led
Link to Strategic Objective:
- Be an exceptional place to work, volunteer and learn
- Provide outstanding quality of care and performance
- Be excellent collaborators and innovators as system partners
- Be an environmentally and financially sustainable organisation.
Link to Strategic Risk:
- SR1a: If we do not ensure our people are safe and their wellbeing prioritised, there is a risk that we will be unable to attract, retain and keep all our people safe and well.
- SR2: If we do not deliver operational and clinical standards then there is a risk of poor patient outcomes and experience.
- SR3: If we do not ensure we have the ability to plan, influence and deliver across our systems to secure change, we will not be able to meet the needs of our public and communities.
- SR4: If we do not resolve long standing organisational inefficiencies, we will be unable to deliver an effective, sustainable, value for money service to our public.
- SR5: If we do not clearly define our strategic plans, we will not have the agility to deliver the suite of improvements needed.
- SR6: If we do not deliver sustainable regulatory compliance and develop positive relationships, we will have limited ability to deliver our strategy.
Equality Impact Assessment: No negative impact identified:
Previously considered by: The sustainability strategy has been presented and approved by the following individuals/forums:
- Feedback received from Sustainability team has been incorporated into the paper
- Executive Sponsor (supported by Melissa Dowdeswell, Chief of Clinical Operations)
- ELT approved to progress to Finance and Sustainability Committee
- Finance and Sustainability Committee approval
- Private Board approval.
Recommendation: The Sustainability Strategy 2024-25 has been approved by ELT, the Finance and Sustainability committee and Private Board, and is submitted for approval by Public Board this month.
Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to share the final version of the Sustainability Strategy 2024-25 and set out how we will develop our longer-term sustainability objectives and narrative as part of our EEAST Strategy 2025-30 development programme.
Executive Summary: The Sustainability Strategy, alongside the clinical strategy and the people strategy, constitute the three core strategies underpinning our organisation’s vision. This document extends the definition of sustainability to include all aspects of organisational sustainability. The strategy, which will be replaced once the Trust Strategy 2025-30 is drafted, sets out our objectives and activity that will support us to deliver our sustainability goals. This activity plays a critical role in providing a better and more sustainable service for the east of England. The strategy has been designed to foster a greater understanding of the various factors contributing to organisational sustainability and what role they play. It provides guidelines and sets targets for the various elements in a single document.
Introduction / Background: In 2022, EEAST had 17 strategies across the organisation. A refreshed Board, alongside a newly established Strategy department, sought to whittle these down to only three, namely the clinical strategy, people strategy, and sustainability strategy. The clinical and people strategies were published in 2023, and the sustainability strategy is now submitted for Board approval.
Our sustainability strategy encompasses the triple bottom line of environmental, social and economic sustainability. As such, it brings together for the first time all the relevant strategic plans and activities that deliver this definition of sustainability, including:
- Financial sustainability
- Digital transformation – 5 Year Digital Plan*
- Sustainable procurement
- Environmental responsibility – The EEAST Green Plan*
- Estates strategic enabling plan*
- Fleet strategic enabling plan*
- Make ready services (MRS) strategic enabling plan*
- Medical devices strategic enabling plan*
- Building a sustainable workforce – People strategy and workforce plans*
[* Note: Areas in which specific strategic plans have already been developed are marked with an asterisk in the list above. These documents provide additional information as to how objectives will be achieved.]
As part of the EEAST Strategy 2025-30 development programme, we are co-designing the vision for sustainability in EEAST as part of our draft strategic framework. This will continue to build a more comprehensive narrative and priorities for sustainability in its widest sense, seeking to take an ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) approach to ensure our people, partners and public benefit.
Summary: The EEAST Sustainability Strategy 2024-25 defines organisational sustainability as meeting the future needs of the organisation without compromising patient care, staff wellbeing, sense of belonging, financial viability, or the environment. This paper draws on insights from across the organisation to present a holistic view of how each facet contributes towards the betterment of our people, our patients, and the environment in which we operate.
