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Sustainability

Through our focus on sustainability, we aim to use natural resources responsibly, invest in the long-term well-being of the planet, and ensure that all people involved in our business process are treated fairly.

Vitalograph is a global provider of medical devices and clinical drug trials services, with sites in Ireland, the UK, the USA, Germany, and Japan.

Our mission is to improve patient lives; and we enable this by supporting our customers and partners with market-leading respiratory diagnostic products and services.

As respiratory diagnostic specialists, we have a policy of reinvestment in research and development for the advancement of technology in this field. We are committed to improving patient lives and doing so sustainably.

We are committed to continuous improvement as we embed and implement sustainability goals within our corporate strategy.

Our sustainability priorities were developed through the lens of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Good Health and Well-being are at the very heart of our business. Our role is to make the most effective respiratory diagnostic products and services accessible to whoever may need them, while never compromising on quality and safety. In doing so, we aim to enable respiratory healthcare delivery and empower respiratory therapy development.

In a world that is rapidly changing, having a clear and evolving sustainability strategy means we remain relevant, responsive, agile, and influential.  It allows us to grow a resilient business, and to proudly contribute to the industry we operate in, as well as the communities we live in.

Sustainability Venn

We have four key sustainability priorities:

  1. We innovate to make the most effective respiratory diagnostic products and services accessible to the people who need them while never compromising on quality and safety.
  2. We address our environmental impact by minimising greenhouse gas emissions and waste going to landfill arising during manufacturing and across the product life-cycle.
  3. We support the communities and the localities where we are based to have a net positive impact.
  4. We cultivate partnerships across our value chain to broaden the availability of essential, quality healthcare and to minimise negative impacts.

We commit to measuring our social and environmental impact—in addition to our financial performance. This ‘triple bottom line’ can be broken down into “three Ps”: profitpeople, and the planet.

Ongoing Sustainability Transformation

Through our focus on sustainability, we aim to use natural resources responsibly, invest for the long-term wellbeing of the planet, and ensure that all people involved in our business process are treated fairly.

Our ultimate goal is to be sector-leading in terms of sustainability within our own organisation, and to exert influence through partnership, advocacy, and thought leadership to improve sustainability within those areas of industry & healthcare. 

Environment

As part of our sustainability transformation, we have taken several actions to reduce the environmental impact of our operations including:

  • Redesign of products to be less resource-intensive
  • Redesign of packaging for easier recycling and reduction of content
  • Application of circular economy concepts through reuse of materials and refurbishment of existing products
  • Relocation of manufacture of many elements to our own production facilities in order to shorten the supply chain and lower carbon footprints
  • Installation of low energy heating and cooling systems at our sites
  • Initiating replacement of our existing fleet with electric vehicles and the installation of electric vehicle charging points
  • Prioritising waste recycling by sorting waste on site

Employee Culture

Integrity is a core value of our business. By striving to do the right thing, our collective actions make a real impact on the management of respiratory disease. Our aim is to nurture an open, diverse and inclusive culture where our employees can bring their full and best selves to work. We do this by promoting positive employee engagement which is key to attracting and retaining quality employees from diverse backgrounds, enhancing their motivation and instilling a sense of purpose. Our culture and capabilities require ongoing investment and renewal, and we do this by resourcing initiatives to support our employee well-being such as offering continuous learning and qualification opportunities, social events, pension, and financial planning advice, and the provision of healthcare and wellness schemes.

Social Initiatives

We support local and international charitable healthcare initiatives by donating devices and software, by providing expert training, and through charitable fundraising.

Local Communities

We support our local communities by providing good quality employment and engaging in CSR initiatives including sponsorship of local sports teams, local schools, the artistic community, and local events. We also support employee engagement in charitable fundraising initiatives by offering match funding and using our social media platforms to raise public awareness of these initiatives.

Education

We provide educational initiatives to our stakeholders by organising and funding topical webinars, podcasts, and live training events with industry experts. We promote excellence in respiratory diagnostic technique by delivering spirometry training both in-person and via online courses. We also support patient training through our AIM Inhaler Training device, designed to help improve patient inhaler use and to reduce ineffective and wasteful use of asthma medication. This type of awareness and training is critical to address the fact that 8 out of 10 people use their inhalers incorrectly. Moreover, the AIM supports patient training in the use of dry powder inhalers, reducing reliance on greenhouse gas-emitting, metered-dose inhalers.

At Vitalograph

  • Explore Engineering Showcase 2024

We were excited to meet tomorrow's engineering stars at Explore Engineering 2024
  • International Women’s Day

The theme of International Women’s Day 2024 is Inspire Inclusion. We asked our team: what advice do you have for women thinking of starting a career in respiratory diagnostics Medtech?
  • VitaloPFT Tests COPD Volunteers

We are grateful to the Clare COPD Support Group for volunteering their time and allowing us test their lung function using VitaloPFT Series.