We’ve seen increasing state laws targeting financial institutions identified as “boycotting” oil and gas companies or otherwise using environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors in their investment decision-making. 

Since January, at least nine states have introduced legislation penalizing financial and non-financial companies with state contracts because of their climate and sustainability commitments. 

The good news is that more of these bills are stalling or failing, and new legislation has been adopted in some states to protect the freedom to invest responsibly – but this requires action. 

Health Care Without Harm and Ceres have teamed up to ask health care systems to sign a statement to policymakers that climate change and other sustainability threats pose material risks to the health care sector. These risks must be considered in corporate and investor decision-making to support the long-term interest of their operations and global public health. 

Interested health care organizations are welcome to sign on by May 1. 

Learn more and sign on

“Bottom line: Climate change poses a material financial and public health risk to the entire health care sector.

Just as we address other risks to our complex operations, we will make long-term, climate-smart investments that limit our exposure to climate risk. We will increase our deployment of renewable energy, invest in energy efficiency measures, and ensure that our buildings and facilities are resilient.

These measures will allow us to address the multi-faceted nature of climate risk while yielding immediate benefits and cost savings in the short and long term. Growing evidence indicates these efforts yield significant and wide-ranging cost savings, reduced risk and increased stability for organizations and the communities they serve, and improved corporate performance.  

We, therefore, remain committed to considering environmental, social, and governance factors in our enterprise risk management and scenario planning.”