Providence Swedish joins international climate-friendly food pledge

Providence Swedish joins over 100 hospitals across the country that have made the pledge to slash food-related greenhouse gas emissions while saving costs and improving health.

Providence Swedish is committed to ensuring a healthier environment for every one of our patients and communities. Central to that effort is the reduction of our carbon footprint by cutting greenhouse gas emissions.

On Oct. 3, the organization made another major stride in those efforts with the announcement that our Cherry Hill, First Hill and Issaquah had signed on to the Coolfood Pledge, an international, cross-sector effort to achieve a science-based collective target of reducing emissions from food at least 25% by 2030. The global food system accounts for over 30% of all greenhouse gas emissions, surpassing even the transportation sector. 

“We are committed to creating a lasting healthy and healing environment for our patients while reducing our impact on the environment,” says Frank Papp, Sr., sustainability program manager, Providence Swedish Puget Sound. 

Providence Swedish joins over 100 hospitals across the country that have made the pledge to slash food-related greenhouse gas emissions while saving costs and improving health. Hospitals and health systems that sign the pledge receive technical assistance from Practice Greenhealth, the leading sustainable healthcare organization, delivering environmental solutions to more than 1,500 hospitals and health systems in the US and Canada. 

“We are thrilled to support Providence Swedish Central Puget Sound throughout their journey,” says John Stoddard, associate director of food and climate strategy at Practice Greenhealth. “Hospitals are implementing various tactics to promote plant-based diets, like offering more plant-forward options, reducing meat in existing dishes, and using marketing strategies such as renaming dishes and creating appealing descriptions to encourage diners to choose plant-forward meals.”

Along with a wide variety of other sectors, including universities, cities and businesses, healthcare Coolfood Pledge signatories are modifying their menus to reduce their climate impact while maintaining a focus on food quality, taste, and nutrition. 

“When the pledge started in 2018, there were just four hospitals signed on,” says Stoddard. “Over the first three years of the Coolfood Pledge, 98% of enrolled hospitals made emissions reductions, and on average the sector reduced its emissions by 13% per plate.” 

Learn more by visiting practicegreenhealth.org/coolfoodpledge. 

About Providence Swedish

Providence Swedish has served the Puget Sound region since the first Providence hospital opened in Seattle in 1877 and the first Swedish hospital opened in 1910. The two organizations affiliated in 2012 and today comprise the largest health care delivery system in Western Washington, with 22,000 caregivers, eight hospitals and 244 clinics. A not-for-profit family of organizations, Providence Swedish provides more than $406 million in community benefit in the Puget Sound Region each year. The health system offers a comprehensive range of services and specialty and subspecialty care in a number of clinical areas, including cancer care, cardiovascular health, neurosciences, orthopedics, digestive health and women’s and children’s care.