We sit down with senior portfolio manager, Dorothy Mashburn, at our Sustainability Solutions division to learn how its programs positively impact the environment and communities we serve.
 

According to a recent article in Forbes, landfills in the U.S. are estimated to reach capacity by the year 2036¹. What is the Sustainability Solutions division doing to divert waste from landfills?

Dorothy: In the last three years we’ve helped divert just shy of 40 million pounds of waste from landfills.² We do this by safely reprocessing products which might typically be single-use. This allows them to be reused and extends the lifecycle of the product lines. The reprocessed devices are regulated for safety under the FDA in the U.S., and customers know they’re receiving a product which meets our quality standards.

In addition to reprocessing, we partner with a waste-to-energy company to convert end-of-life devices from our Phoenix location into synthetic gas. Through this partnership we will divert around 25,000 lbs. per month of waste from the landfills.
 

75% of adults in the U.S. are particularly concerned about helping the environment³. Do you find this plays a role in a facility’s choice to partner with us?

Dorothy: Yes. We make it simple. Our solutions help hospitals reduce waste through reprocessing and remanufacturing. Our Save Simply program increases the return on the partnership for our customers through streamlined ordering, which bundles the reprocessed devices with new devices. Save Simply offers the peace-of-mind that you’re making a choice which helps the environment, while also reducing supply expenses.
 

Stryker recently donated more than 14,000 trees to the National Forest Foundation. Why?

Dorothy: Our Products for the Planet program provides hospitals with the opportunity to contribute to the restoration of National Forests by achieving annual collection goals for certain single-use devices. We partner with the National Forest Foundation to plant trees in areas that are in the most need, based on environmental concerns. This past year the program grew over 22% and we are on track to plant 80,000 trees in 2019.
 

How does your team bring together Stryker’s mission with the sustainability goals of healthcare providers?

Dorothy: Our mission is to make healthcare better by working with our customers to make the world better for patients, caregivers, employees and the environment. Our customers told us they needed a way to reduce and reuse without sacrificing outcomes. We deliver solutions that address this need through reprocessing that puts quality first.