Conclusion

The objective of this guidebook project is to regularly synthesize information that animal health professionals can use to develop and refine their clinical sustainability strategies.  In the process of producing the second edition of this procurement guide we were excited to learn of several corporate sustainability policies that were not publicly available, or shared with us, when the previous edition of this guidebook was published.  We applaud these companies for their transparency and commitment to sustainability.

The companies with pages in this section all have publicly facing sustainability policies.  Where the company provided progress metrics, these points were noted in our summary assessment. For this edition we collected information about company size based on full-time equivalent employee numbers. Of the respondents, we found that many, particularly the smaller companies, have invested in recyclable or reduced-waste packaging. Several of the larger companies have made reductions in water and energy use, waste production, and greenhouse gas emissions.

Unfortunately, relative to the vast number of companies servicing the veterinary industry, there was a low response rate to our request for sustainability information.  This gap had been recognized in the inaugural edition of the guide so for this edition we included a more robust contact list and made scripted phone calls to companies that did not have listed emails or contact forms.  While this did improve the response rate, it remains well below expectations.  It is unclear if non-responding companies have no relevant information to share or our request for information was not received by the appropriate individual.

We invite our readers to help us continue to build this resource by letting us know of any companies in the veterinary industry that did not appear in this edition, who may be making effort and progress in the area of environmental sustainability.  Completion of this online form will help the research team connect with a greater number of sustainability-conscience companies. We greatly appreciate your feedback!