IVC Evidensia have published their latest annual Positive Pawprint sustainability report, revealing key milestones reached in 2023, alongside other successes that the leading veterinary group has achieved.
The report details global figures that have been collected from all available territories, and includes plenty of stand-out UK highlights across the three main pillars: Caring for People, Caring for Patients and Caring for the Planet.
One of the main highlights was that 26 practices have now been registered as Positive Pawprint Partners in the UK, with a further 150 working on the sustainability toolkit. This is since the first partner practice, Rhyd Broughton, registered in November 2022.
This exponential growth in the scheme means that more practices are embedding sustainability into their culture and adopting initiatives and targets to benefit people, patients, and the planet.
This includes reducing antibiotic usage, more efficient recycling processes, creating links with local charities and increasing the number of Mental Health First Aiders to over 500.
In addition, Positive Hoofprint Toolkits, launched in September 2023, are now being adopted in farm and equine practices across the UK.
Rowe Veterinary Group is just one of the new partners for 2023 and Veterinary Surgeon Rachel Power had this to say about joining the scheme:
“The Positive Pawprint Toolkit provided a framework to look at sustainability across our clinic, including improving staff well-being, maintaining high clinical standards, and excellent client and patient care.
“At Yate, we have used it to evaluate our clinic and make sustainable changes. The checklists split the project into bite-sized parts, making it less overwhelming. Being a Positive Pawprint Partner is just the start, there’s lots to work on!”
Caring for people
- Over 2,000 days of clinical professional development
- Launch of Flexible Working Toolkit
- 47 students enrolled in the Ethnic Diversity Scholarship Scheme
- Over 500 Mental Health First Aiders in the UK
- Partnering with the DPJ Foundation providing a new mental health initiative for farm vets
- UK national partnership with StreetVet
- Over £88k donated to 102 local charities through Community Grants Fund
When it comes to people, IVC Evidensia has been clear on providing access to Flexible Working, through a usable toolkit and other resources to help colleagues find a work/life balance to suit them. There has also been success in nurturing diversity and inclusion, with an increased number of students joining the Ethnic Diversity Scholarship scheme in 2023.
Caring for patients
- 2,155 given life-saving treatment by the Care Fund
- 51% of practice waiting rooms offer species-specific areas to reduce patient stress
- 16% reduction in outpatient antibiotic prescriptions
- 4,500 Wellness Screenings successfully delivered (since Nov 2022)
- 259 research projects underway
Animal welfare is at the heart of what the group has set out to achieve, with a focus during the previous year on equipping colleagues with everything they need to deliver patient care safely and to the highest quality.
There has been an emphasis on quality improvement with the launch of a new QI Hub, reduction of antibiotic usage across the network and a record number of Care Fund uses, helping to save as many lives as possible.
Caring for the planet
- 100% renewable electricity sourced for UK practices
- 487 practices equipped with energy-efficient lighting and heating systems
- Zero waste to landfill from UK practices
- 50 bee-friendly practices
- 30% less plastic used by switching to more environmentally friendly syringes
Caring for the Planet is at the heart of the Positive Pawprint Strategy, continually working towards a greener future for the entire group by using more renewable energy sources and transitioning towards a net-zero climate impact. In the UK this has also included 100% of waste being diverted from landfill and ensuring more non-hazardous waste is recycled.
Healthy animals, happy owners
Simon Smith, Group CEO for IVC Evidensia, had this to say in an introduction to the latest report: “Across IVC Evidensia, as a large international network, we embrace our responsibility to use our expertise, resources and financial strength to drive real and lasting change in the vital and fast-modernising veterinary profession.
“Embedding environmentally sustainable approaches across our varied network is a challenge, but it’s one that our dedicated teams are passionate about delivering.
“Thanks to all our teams across the world for their ongoing dedication to supporting our sustainability efforts, as we work to become not only the best veterinary group in the world, but also the best veterinary group for the world.”
To read the full global Positive Pawprint report, you can head over to the group website here.
