Royal Colleges Demonstrate What Can Be Done on Sustainability

October saw the launch of 'Facing the future: sustainability for Royal Colleges', and the first seminar for Royal Colleges to come together to share their progress on sustainability. The seminar, jointly led by the CSH and the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, and kindly hosted by the Royal College of Anaesthetists, was packed full of an impressive array of initiatives being taken forward by some Colleges. 

Contributions were designed to demonstrate Royal College action across three areas: buildings and facilities; development of the membership; and sustainable clinical practice. Prof. Linda Luxon, Treasurer of The Royal College of Physicians, took us through the impressive list of the work they have done at St Andrews place, including the installation of four solar panels, zero waste to landfill since 2013 and wormeries to recycle 90% of the College’s food waste.  These and many other RCP initiatives have been achieved with a high level of engagement with staff and members.

The Royal College of General Practitioners have been leading their membership and the specialty more broadly with activities such as a sustainability themed conference, the identification of a sustainability lead and an exam question on sustainability.  Tim Ballard, Vice Chair of the RCGP and sustainability lead took participants on the journey the College has been on to get to this point.

Tom Pierce, sustainability lead for the Royal College of Anaesthetists and cardiac anaesthetist at University Hospital Southampton, engagingly led us through the science and the detailed work that he and the Sustainable Development Unit have done to produce a carbon footprint of anaesthetic gas use. A carbon calculator to allow organisations to calculate their own footprint has also been developed.

The Guide, Facing the future: sustainability for Royal Colleges is an internal document for Colleges which celebrates the actions Colleges have already taken and provides guidance on next steps. Plans to make the seminar an annual event are underway.