Sustainability by design: Embedding environmental care in the healthcare value chain
The following symposium is being organized to mark the occasion of the inaugural lecture of prof. dr. ir. Erik van Raaij.
Practical details
Date: Wednesday June 4, 2025
Time Symposium: 12.15 – 15.15 – with lunch during walk-in – Erasmus Pavilion, Campus Woudestein
Time Inaugural Lecture: 16.00 | Aula, Erasmus Building, Campus Woudestein
Spoken language: English
Register via this link.
In the face of global climate and environmental challenges, healthcare systems are being called to do more than deliver care — they must also care for the planet. This requires an intentional and concerted design effort from various stakeholders along the value chain. This symposium explores how sustainable procurement can become a driving force for planetary health, bridging clinical responsibility with environmental ethics.
Together with speakers Nicole Hunfeld (Erasmus MC), Alexandra Hammond (NHS England), JC Diehl (TU Delft), Carina Hilders (UMC Utrecht), Harald Tepper (Philips), Erik Vollebregt (Axon Lawyers), and chair Maike Tietschert (ESHPM) this symposium aims to foster meaningful dialogue and actionable insights — for a future where healthcare heals more than humans alone.
Policymakers, healthcare professionals, procurement specialists, and innovators are invited to join in reimagining how we source and supply for health — with tomorrow in mind.
The program brings together voices from across the healthcare ecosystem, spanning three key themes:
- Innovation and Design – exploring circular strategies, sustainable product development, and system-level thinking for greener healthcare.
- Practice and Procurement – focusing on real-world implementation, clinical leadership, and the transformation of procurement as a lever for sustainable change.
- Policy and Regulation – addressing the frameworks, incentives, and regulations that shape the future of sustainable healthcare at national and international levels.
Together, we will explore:
- What it means to purchase sustainably in healthcare today
- How procurement decisions can align with the principles of planetary health
- The policy shifts, collaborations, and innovations needed to drive sustainable transformation in supply chains
This symposium aims to foster meaningful dialogue and actionable insights — for a future where healthcare heals more than humans alone.
Programme Symposium
| 12:15 | Walk-in with light lunch |
| 13:00 | Opening by symposium chair Maike Tietschert, PhD (ESHPM) |
| 13:10 | Presentation by Nicole Hunfeld, PhD – Chief Sustainability Officer and ICU pharmacist at Erasmus Medical Center |
| 13:30 | Presentation by Alexandra Hammond – Associate Director, Net Zero and Sustainable Procurement at NHS England (online presentation) |
| 13:50 | Break |
| 14:10 | Panel discussion, with: JC Diehl, PhD – Professor of Design for Inclusive Sustainable Health Care at TU Delft Carina Hilders, PhD – Chair of the Board of Directors at University Medical Center Utrecht Harald Tepper, PhD – Senior Director Sustainability at Philips Erik Vollebregt, LLM – Partner at Axon Lawyers (Medical Device Regulation specialist) |
| 15:00 | Closing remarks by Maike Tietschert |
Inaugural Lecture prof. dr. ir. Erik van Raaij
Following the symposium, prof. dr. ir. Erik van Raaij will deliver his inaugural address, starting at 16:00 hrs. sharp, titled: ‘Purchasing tomorrow: Weaving planetary health into healthcare procurement.’
