Improving patient, person, and planetary health care
For the first time in 2024, Phillips achieved a 100% eco-designed new product introduction (NPI). Meet increasing customer demand to support environmental ambitions, Philips Ecodegined products are designed to increase energy efficiency, avoid the use of hazardous materials, optimize material use, and improve packaging throughout the product lifecycle. These measures have driven significant and systematic changes in health care, often reducing costs while providing safe, efficient and effective care methods.
Phillips focuses on delivering meaningful innovation and working with partners to improve and expand healthcare delivery with lower carbon emissions. In 2024, Phillips expanded its portfolio of innovative, energy-efficient, increasingly compact and lightweight solutions, and expanded the adoption of circular practices to reduce the use and waste of materials in the medical value chain.
Philips introduced helium-free operation with MRI, combined with a compact and lightweight design, increasing flexibility and ease of installation to difficult, remote locations, and contributes to wider access to advanced MRIs. PowerSave+ Feature guarantees additional energy savings by automatically switching to standby mode within 30 minutes of idle time. Equipped with Philips Blue Seal Magnet Technology, MRI scanners have saved more than 2.75 million liters of helium since 2018, eliminating the need for helium replenishment (a rare resource) even in the event of a shutdown. This reduces long-term reliability and environmental impact.
In the personal health segment, the expansion of the Philippe Liplab Edition and local takeback system across certain European markets has led toothbrushes and shavers to lead a second life, helping consumers make sustainable choices.
Low-carbon energy alternatives and optimized plans have significantly reduced emissions across Philips operations, its logistics, and its complete value chain. Based on the company's supplier's sustainability program, 48% of all purchases in 2024 came from suppliers with science-based climate targets, starting from 46% in 2023. Collaboration with suppliers has had a positive knock-on effect on overall quality and cost management, leading to better and continuous improvement skills.
Phillips continues to work with customers around the world to enable better health outcomes and address pressing challenges, including reducing environmental impacts such as cost of care, shortages of staff and increased health disparities.
An analysis in 2024 confirmed that in the first year of the partnership, collaboration with the Champalimaud Foundation (Portugal) achieved a 24% emission reduction per trial in the Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine. Supported by Phillips, Durham and the Darlington NHS Foundation Trust (UK) have identified key areas where ICU care can increase sustainability. Critical care was strategically chosen as a focal area as per patient, as it is one of the most expensive care, power and single use items consumers. This recommendation serves as a blueprint for further changes and target improvements, further enhancing critical care. A cradle-to-layer analysis of hospital-based radiology services, together with the Department of Radiology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center (USA), found that energy consumption from imaging instruments accounts for more than 50% of greenhouse gas emissions. The analysis also shed light on the area of focus for future evidence-based decarbonization strategies.
