Environmental Stewardship

Closing Reflection At Providence, we have a tradition of offering reflections at the beginning of every gathering. In these moments, leaders and caregivers provide words of wisdom to help ground our work, inspire one another and reaffirm our shared commitment to tackling big challenges. When we share reflections, we are reminded of the legacy of our foundresses, the Sisters of Providence and the Sisters of St. Joseph. Thoughtful reflections help us to stay aligned with our mission-driven commitment to service. Providence is making a bold commitment to address this urgent problem. We are responding to this enormous challenge with broad, focused and relentless action. We are transforming the ways in which we operate our buildings, purchase and use supplies, deliver clinical care, educate and advocate, and support the communities we serve. We are actively pushing to help the world change direction. As our daily reflections remind us, if we are to live our mission with integrity, we must be steadfast in our com- mitments and actions. I encourage you to follow Providence's work as we significantly reduce our carbon emissions, build knowledge, engage caregivers and reach out to our communities. At Providence, WE ACT to meet our At Providence, WE ACT to meet our goal of becoming carbon negative by 2030, and to achieve goal of becoming carbon negative by 2030, and to achieve Health for a Better World. Health for a Better World. Beth Schenk, PhD, RN, FAAN Executive Director, Environmental Stewardship 16 We are called by the mission to protect and care for all, especially the most vulnerable among us, which includes those impacted by the climate crisis. Scientific data make it clear that climate change causes significant harm. We take responsibility for our own negative contributions, such as the greenhouse gases we emit while delivering care to our patients and communities. We recognize three indisputable truths – our mission calls us our mission calls us to care, climate change is causing harm, and health care is contributing to to care, climate change is causing harm, and health care is contributing to that harm that harm – and they compel us to act urgently. The Providence fam rovidence family of organizations is committed to the ambitious climate goal we set on Earth Day 2020 to become carbon negative by 2030. It will not be easy, nor is it guaranteed. We are clear-eyed about the challenges ahead, and that we will not get there alone. This effort takes everyone and requires a global response.

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