About CLINTEC Environment and Climate Action Plan

Strategy 2030

KI will approach the year 2030 as a pioneering, collaborative and global university. Sustainability is a prerequisite in this work and must permeate all of the university’s activities, including that the campus must be environmentally and socially sustainable over the long term. By 2030, KI will substantially increase education and research efforts related to climate change and health, and at least halve its emissions of greenhouse gases in the endeavour to become climate neutral.

Environment and Climate Action Plan 2021–2024

To achieve KI’s Strategy 2030 and contribute to the Swedish national environmental quality standards as well as the UN’s 2030 Agenda, KI has produced an action plan for the environment and climate that sets out our climate strategy in concrete terms. The strategy takes into account KI’s significant environmental aspects (energy use, new and reconstructions, chemicals and chemical waste, business travel, research and first-cycle education, and is divided into eight target areas with clear assignments for departments, university administration and committees.

Everyone working or studying at Karolinska Institutet, or in some other way affiliated with KI, is responsible for working in line with the action plan. KI’s Environment and Climate Action Plan must be integrated into the operations of all departments, and the department heads are ultimately responsible for ensuring that the plans are implemented. The work in the target areas is continuous and is reported annually to management, the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency and the Ministry of Education and Research.

CLINTEC:s Plan of Activities 2021–2024

CLINTEC is a department characterised by a high proportion of clinically active employees with assignments, and often also employments, in healthcare. CLINTEC’s main activities are education, research, development, collaboration and third-cycle higher education in varying degrees in the 14 different divisions. Activities and premises are spread out over Campus Flemingsberg and are intertwined with the healthcare services. National and international sustainability goals are in the interest of both Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital, and both organisations have developed plans to actively work with environmental issues.

The Work Environment Group at CLINTEC has therefore considered the environmental plan of the healthcare services when tailoring Karolinska Institutet’s Plan of Activities for CLINTEC. Having a Plan of Activities that aligns with both organisations clarifies the goals for employees, facilitates communication and reporting, and contributes to meaningful collaboration between the two organisations. CLINTEC’s Plan of Activities provides examples of activities within the eight target areas of Karolinska Institutet’s Environment and Climate Action Plan, and describes similarities with Karolinska University Hospital’s Environmental Plan

Each division defines two activities with significant improvement potential and makes a plan. These plans are reported to the Work Environment Group in Q1/2023 and the results in Q4/2023.

Communication and continuing professional development

Communication and continuous professional development are important parts of the environmental work. The Environmental Plan is presented to the department at various CLINTEC meetings, and highlighted on the CLINTEC website. All parts of the organisation are encouraged to have environmental work as a permanent item on the agenda of meetings. The Work Environment Group, Sustainable Development Ombudsman and Head of Department, who has ultimate responsibility, are available to support in this work. The Environmental Plan is followed up during the safety inspections.

The Plan of Activities is spread to all divisions via heads of divisions and administrators, who will disseminate it onwards in the organisation.