3 questions for Prof Dr Torsten Oltmanns & Lisa Koch
"We need strong networks"
Prof. Torsten Oltmanns and Lisa Koch from the Centre for Sustainable Transformation (zNT) support companies and organisations in their sustainable transformation. They will be sharing their findings in a symposium at WeACT Con 2025.
Interview: WeACT Con
1
Prof Oltmanns, Ms Koch: What challenges are you facing on the road to greater sustainability in healthcare?
One of the biggest challenges is certainly that sustainability in the healthcare sector has so far predominantly been pursued at the level of the individual "players". What is missing is a holistic approach that combines environmental aspects, prevention and - increasingly important - resilience, i.e. the system's ability to respond to crises. And: it is becoming extremely important that sustainability also pays off for the individual institutions. To achieve this, it is important that the various players in the healthcare system discuss a joint plan. And about clear priorities: It is not necessary to master all challenges immediately; it would be more important to agree on the most important tasks.
2
Where have you or others succeeded in overcoming such boundaries?
There are some success stories from which we have learned and some of which we want to offer a platform at WeACT Con. It is particularly helpful to look at other industries that are already further ahead in terms of sustainability. This has shown that transparency, clear goals and cooperation between those involved are the key. Partnerships that have been developed along the entire value chain are a good example. This also applies, above all, to the early involvement of all stakeholders in order to create trust and initiate changes quickly.
3
What needs to happen so that we as a society or you personally can break down these barriers in your field of activity?
We believe that building committed and strong networks and alliances is fundamental here. We need platforms that bring stakeholders together and help to develop sustainable solutions and systematise existing experiences and results. It is particularly important not to see sustainability as an isolated goal, but to link it closely with prevention and resilience. From our perspective, we as a think tank can contribute to this by promoting dialogue, developing innovative concepts and helping stakeholders to define common goals. Of course, this also requires the right political framework that supports such cooperation and enables long-term planning.