The Sustainable Health in Procurement Project (SHiPP) was developed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in collaboration with Health Care Without Harm, and funded by the Swedish International Development and Cooperation Agency (SIDA), to help reduce the impact the manufacture, use and disposal of medical products by aggregating demand and moving the global supply chain toward greater sustainability, improving health outcomes and the global environment.
SHiPP aimed at supporting countries and health systems to develop policies and actions to reduce greenhouse gases, and address resource depletion and chemical pollution to improve the quality of life for individuals and communities.
For more information on our organizational work in procurement, please visit our Procurement section.
Key objectives
• Develop universally applicable criteria and standards for sustainable manufacturing, distribution, and content of products procured by the health sector.
• Strengthen capacity for sustainable procurement in the health sector in ten project countries: Argentina, Brazil, China, India, Moldova, South Africa, Tanzania, Ukraine, Vietnam, and Zambia.
• Strengthen capacity for sustainable production, supply, and disposal of health care products in at least ten project countries.
• Strengthen the understanding and application of appropriate indicators and monitoring and evaluation processes that help promote accountability for sustainable procurement in the health sector.
Integration with Global Green and Healthy Hospitals (GGHH) network
Our global network of hospitals and health systems was a key vehicle for the implementation of SHiPP:
- Membership: All pilot hospitals that participated in the SHiPP project received automatic membership in GGHH.
- Case Studies: Pilot hospitals documented their work and progress on sustainable procurement through case studies on successful strategies and challenges related to the creation and implementation of sustainable procurement practices in health care.
- Webinars: The SHiPP project offered a series of webinars to learn about sustainable procurement in health care, how to get started, and successful approaches. Members of the GGHH network were invited to participate in the sessions.
- Resources: As part of the project, international experts created a variety of guidance documents and resources to educate and support health care facilities in integrating sustainable procurement into their operations.
With the health sector comprising 10% of the global economy, its procurement policies can have an enormous impact on production and consumption worldwide.
