Six years of leading the way in sustainable healthcare

Forté Health is celebrating six years as one of New Zealand’s most sustainable hospitals, retaining its Toitū Net Carbon Zero status for another year. 

Since 2021, the hospital has achieved significant emissions reductions, cutting electricity emissions by 98% and reducing Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 83%. From carbon-neutral surgical packs to solar panels generating over 146,000 kWh annually, Forté continues to demonstrate that sustainability and innovation can drive healthcare forward. 

The hospital now diverts 30% of waste across 19 formalised recycling and reuse streams  meaning nearly one in three waste items avoids landfill. Last year, 695kg of medical equipment was donated to Pacific Island hospitals through a partnership with Rotary Worldwide, as well asto local charitable organisations. 

This year, Forté also joined the international network of Global Green and Healthy Hospitals, further cementing its commitment to sustainable healthcare practices.  

Growing sustainably 

This sustainability progress comes despite significant business growth. The hospital added a fifth theatre in January 2025 and expanded its Scope 3 measurement sources to include upstream freight and employee commuting emissions. Forté is preparing to triple bed capacity, nearly double theatre space, and open a second hospital facility by mid-2027.  

Forté Health Sustainability Lead Laura Hercus says this is what 'decoupling emissions from growth' looks like – keeping emissions stable or decreasing even as an organisation grows. 

"We've achieved these reductions even while significantly expanding our facility and our emissions measurement scope. This improvement is particularly meaningful because it includes emissions sources we weren't measuring in 2020.” 

Tackling the next challenge 

The next challenge is clear: 71% of Forté's total gross emissions come from staff commuting.  

In response, Forté launched the Workride programme in March 2025, helping employees acquire bikes, e-bikes, or scooters for commuting at a cost offset of 32-63% through pre-tax salary sacrifice. Additional initiatives include car parking subsidies for bike commuters and a $500 EV discount at EV City for all Forté Health staff, whānau and friends. 

As the workforce grows to support expanded facilities, these initiatives are expected to play a crucial role in reducing the hospital's largest emissions source. 

Sustainability remains one of Forté Health's core values, with the organisation firmly committed to its Net Carbon Zero vision and to being a leader in sustainable healthcare as it prepares for significant growth.