Sustainable Development

In 2019 North Bristol NHS Trust, alongside University Hospitals Bristol and Weston, declared a climate and ecological emergency and set an ambitious goal to be net zero carbon by 2030.

ICS organisations have come together to develop the ICS Green Plan - a joint strategy outlining how we will achieve net zero, improve the quality of the natural environment and use our resources efficiently to protect the health of our patients, staff and community.

Sustainable Development Policy Statement

We have adopted a Sustainable Development Policy. Download our Sustainable Development Policy statement:

Travel Plan

The Trust has committed to reduce the impacts from our travel and transport services. The Trust’s Travel Plan 2019-2023 outlines our progress so far and the journey ahead in providing a safe, accessible and sustainable hospital for staff, patients, visitors and the local community.

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Biodiversity Management Plan

The Trust has committed to protect and enhance the environment, maximise access to the natural environment for the benefit of health and wellbeing and the prevention of avoidable illness and adapt our sites ready for a changing climate.  The Trust’s Biodiversity Management Plan (BMP) outlines how we plan to achieve this, making the most of our green spaces onsite, for both people and wildlife.
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BNSSG Climate Change Adaptation Plan

In partnership with our NHS colleagues across Bristol North Somerset and South Gloucestershire (BNSSG), we’ve published the UK’s first region-wide adaptation plan.

The impacts of climate change on our health, services, infrastructure and our ability to cope with extreme weather events will place significant additional demands on the NHS in the future. This adaptation plan highlights the climate change risks we face as a healthcare system and emphasises the importance of working in partnership across the region to ensure our Estate Strategies are robust and enable system-wide resilience. By ensuring our region is resilient to the effects of climate change, we will achieve cost and carbon savings and contribute to the prevention of avoidable illness to achieve a healthier future together.

Healthier Together BNSSG ICS Green Plan

North Bristol NHS Trust is aligned with the Healthier Together BNSSG ICS Green Plan which acts as the Trust’s sustainability strategy. The plan sets out how we will meet the health and care needs of our communities today and in the future. It focuses on delivering three key outcomes for our population: 

• Improving our environment to create a cleaner, safer, more ecologically resilient environment
• Achieving net zero carbon by 2030 across all of our scope emissions
• Generate a BNSSG-wide movement, supporting a cultural change amongst citizens and businesses through our role as a local anchor institution.

Green Plan 2022–2025

Safe and Sustainable Waste Management Policy 

Concordat for the Environmental Sustainability of Research and Innovation Practice

In October 2024 we became the first NHS Trust to sign the Concordat for the Environmental Sustainability of Research and Innovation Practice. Developed by the UK research and innovation sector, the voluntary concordat represents a shared ambition for the UK to continue delivering cutting-edge research, but in a more environmentally responsible and sustainable way.

This letter, signed by Maria Kane, Group chair for NBT and UHBW, publicly acknowledges our commitment to the aims of the Concordat: