Siemens Healthineers targets expanded global healthcare access with sustainability drive
Healthcare technology leader sets ambitious targets for patient reach and environmental impact while achieving workforce diversity milestone ahead of schedule.
Partnerships are crucial in this effort, exemplified in the company’s collaboration with the World Stroke Organisation to strengthen the acute stroke workforce and enhance stroke treatment and care.
Siemens Healthineers has announced plans to significantly expand its global healthcare access, targeting 3.3 billion patient touchpoints worldwide by 2030, with 1.25 billion of these in low- and middle-income countries. The announcement comes as part of the company’s 2024 Sustainability Report, which outlines progress across healthcare accessibility, environmental sustainability, and workforce development.
The company has revised its methodology for calculating patient touchpoints to better reflect its portfolio’s reach across different regions. Current figures show the company achieved 2.6 billion touchpoints in fiscal year 2024, with 974 million in low- and middle-income countries.
“Our sustainability strategy shapes our priorities across the company and creates value for our stakeholders. We’re expanding access to healthcare for patients everywhere, working with our customers and suppliers to reduce our collective impact on the environment and engaging our teams in turning ambition into meaningful action. This is how we uphold our commitment towards a healthier, more sustainable world for us and future generations,” said Darleen Caron, chief human resources officer and member of the managing board. The sustainability strategy of Siemens Healthineers is organized into three core pillars: healthcare access, resource preservation, and diverse and engaged Healthineers, supported by the two enablers of volunteering and employee-led initiatives, and global and regional partnerships.
Environmental progress and circular economy initiatives
In addressing the healthcare sector’s 4.4% contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions, Siemens Healthineers has reported a 40% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions compared to its 2019 baseline. This achievement was supported by increasing renewable energy use at its facilities from 77% in FY2023 to 89% in FY2024.
The company has implemented circular economy principles in its product design, with notable success in its Magnetom Sola eco system. The magnetic resonance imaging scanner’s refurbishment programme demonstrates significant environmental benefits, achieving up to 79% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions through materials reuse, equivalent to approximately 40 tonnes of CO2e per system.
Workforce diversity achievements
The company has reached its target of 30% women in senior management positions a year ahead of schedule, marking a significant milestone in its diversity initiatives. Additionally, Siemens Healthineers has secured Great Place to Work certification across 25 countries, encompassing more than 80% of its 72,000-strong global workforce.
To address the global shortage of healthcare professionals, the company provided four million hours of training in FY2024, working towards a target of six million hours by 2030. This initiative includes partnerships with organisations such as the World Stroke Organization to enhance acute stroke workforce capabilities and treatment protocols.
Innovation in healthcare accessibility
At least 4.5 billion people, more than half of the world’s population, do not have adequate access to essential health services, as the World Health Organization has repeatedly warned in its reports. More than three-quarters of all deaths worldwide are preventable and can be traced back to treatable noncommunicable diseases in people under the age of 70. Low- and middle-income countries are disproportionately affected, accounting for 86 percent of these premature deaths. This dire situation is compounded by what the WHO describes as the greatest health threat to humanity: climate change.
Bernd Montag, chief executive of Siemens Healthineers, highlighted the company’s commitment to healthcare innovation: “Our latest sustainability report shows how we as a team have lived up to our purpose in the last year. Yet we don’t stand still but constantly challenge ourselves to reach more patients.”
The company’s Magnetom Free platform exemplifies this approach, enabling MRI installation in previously inaccessible locations. Additionally, the company also partners with stakeholders around the world to empower their healthcare workforce, transform the system of care and build ecosystems that benefit patients. For example, a partnership with the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria aims to increase AI adoption in tuberculosis diagnosis, addressing one of the world’s deadliest infectious diseases.
