Abt Joins National Health Sector Climate Pledge to Address Climate Crisis

Rockville, Md.  –  Abt Global, a leading global consulting and research firm, has joined the White House and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Health Sector Climate Pledge. This voluntary commitment aims to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and build climate resilience in the health sector—which, globally, accounts for 5 percent of emissions.

The health sector generates nearly 9 percent of emissions in the United States and is on the frontlines of the climate crisis. Abt joins over 100 organizations representing 872 hospitals as well as health centers, suppliers, insurance companies, and pharmaceutical companies in signing the pledge.

“As technical assistance and research providers in the areas of both health and climate, we understand the urgency of the climate crisis and are committed to addressing it,” said Kathleen Flanagan, CEO and president of Abt Global. “Signing the Health Sector Climate Pledge not only signals our continued focus on integrating carbon reduction and climate resilience considerations throughout our programs—It is core to our mission to improve the health and well-being of people worldwide.”

 Abt and other signatories have committed to the following goals:

1. Reducing their emissions by at least 50 percent by 2030 (from a baseline no earlier than 2008) and achieving net-zero by 2050. Progress will be measured and made publicly available each year.
2. Designating an executive-level leader to manage emissions reductions by the end of 2023. Duties will include conducting an inventory of supply chain emissions by the end of 2024.
3. Developing and releasing a climate resilience plan for continuous operations by the end of 2023. The pledge calls for extra attention to be paid to considering the needs of groups in an organization’s community that are at disproportionate risk of suffering due to the impacts of climate change.

“Climate change has the worst impacts on those who contribute least to the problem and often have the fewest resources to deal with it,” said Ann Loeffler, Principal Associate, Health & Environment. “Building climate action into how we work aligns us with our federal clients—including HRSA, CMS, AHRQ, EPA, CDC, and others advancing health equity—and reflects Abt’s deep commitment to strengthening health systems and improving the health of people worldwide.”

Abt’s commitments in the pledge align with our longstanding commitment to reducing emissions and building climate resilience within our operations, supply chains, and services we deliver to clients around the world. Abt has been measuring and managing our GHG emissions since 2012. By 2019, we achieved a 44.6 percent reduction in our U.S.-based GHG emissions compared to 2012 and have set a new target to reduce global emissions 38.6 percent by 2027 from 2019.

Learn more about Abt’s corporate commitment to sustainability.

About Abt Global
Abt Global is a global consulting and research firm that combines data and bold thinking to improve the quality of people's lives. We partner with clients and communities to advance equity and innovation—from creating scalable digital solutions and combatting infectious disease, to mitigating climate change and evaluating programs for measurable social impact. https://www.abtglobal.com

Contact: 
Eric Tischler
eric_tischler@abtassoc.com
(301) 347-5492