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Sustainable maternity procurement: what should suppliers ask? | CyberChat 8
CYBERCHAT / EPISODE 08
By Joanna Whitear · Reviewed 4 October 2026
A fictional 1990s chatroom conversation about real sustainability questions. Joanna and Al appear as themselves; the dialogue is scripted and the other characters are invented.
How can suppliers support more sustainable maternity care?
Sustainable maternity procurement starts with understanding care needs and how products are used. Purchasing volume, material composition, clinical performance and the whole care journey can all affect priorities. Bringing staff, women using services and suppliers into the conversation can reveal opportunities beyond a straightforward product swap.
#evergreen : CyberChat
[21:01] Al says: evening all. greener maternity care. Do we start by buying the same things in greener packaging?
[21:02] net_junky says: already changed the catalogue cover to a leaf. ahead of you
[21:03] Joanna says: Packaging can matter. But start with what women and babies need, then look at the products and services involved in providing that care.
[21:04] Sunshine_girl says: so how do you decide which products to look at first?
[21:05] Joanna says: Ask the staff what they use, check purchasing records and walk through a typical care scenario together. Those three views can reveal different things. An order history will not tell you exactly how a product is used.
[21:06] Ace_Ventura says: spreadsheet meets actual ward
[21:07] Joanna says: Exactly. You might discover that several sites buy similar products from different suppliers, or that a small item stays in contact with a baby for a long time. That detail helps you ask better questions.
[21:08] Al says: wouldnt you just start with the biggest purchases?
[21:09] Joanna says: Volume is useful, but it cannot be the only priority. In neonatal care, the nature and duration of contact matter too. A lower-volume product can still deserve close attention.
[21:10] net_junky says: are we talking carbon here or chemicals?
[21:11] Joanna says: Both can be relevant, but they are different questions. A carbon estimate does not tell you which additives a product contains or what exposure might occur. The information you request needs to match the issue you are investigating.
[21:12] Sunshine_girl says: and the product still has to work for the baby
[21:13] Joanna says: Absolutely. Clinical performance and infection prevention belong in the discussion from the beginning. Procurement, clinical teams and suppliers need to assess alternatives together.
[21:14] Ace_Ventura says: probably before someone orders six thousand of them
[21:15] Al says: what is this care pathway idea then?
[21:16] Joanna says: It means following the whole journey through care: appointments, tests, travel, time in hospital and follow-up. You look at how a change affects that journey, as well as the footprint of the individual product.
[21:17] net_junky says: so a test with more packaging could still be useful environmentally?
[21:18] Joanna says: Potentially. If a diagnostic changes the need for hospital stays or repeat visits, those effects belong in the comparison. You need evidence of what actually changes, including any extra activities it creates.
[21:19] Sunshine_girl says: what about monitoring someone at home instead of asking them to keep travelling?
[21:20] Joanna says: That is an option a clinical team might evaluate where appropriate. Include the equipment, support and follow-up, and ask women about their experience. Fewer journeys is one consideration; access, safety and the burden on the person matter too.
[21:21] Al says: that changes the supplier pitch quite a bit
[21:22] Joanna says: It does. Instead of stopping at “our product uses less material”, a supplier can explain how it supports a better care pathway, with evidence for the benefits claimed.
[21:23] Ace_Ventura says: i fear a new procurement word approaching
[21:24] Joanna says: Servitisation.
[21:25] net_junky says: absolutely not
[21:26] Joanna says: Fair. Think of buying an agreed service or outcome instead of simply buying more units of a product. The contract can give the supplier responsibility for keeping that service working efficiently.
[21:27] Al says: give us an example
[21:28] Joanna says: One idea is to ask whether a supplier could provide a managed pain-relief service rather than just sell gas. That is a proposal to explore, not a ready-made model. It would need clinical leadership, clear responsibilities and measures of quality and environmental performance.
[21:29] Sunshine_girl says: and women still get a say in their pain relief?
[21:30] Joanna says: Yes. Patient choice, experience and clinical needs must shape the service. A different purchasing model is not a reason to restrict appropriate care.
[21:31] Al says: could a few hospitals ask suppliers for the same improvement?
[21:32] Joanna says: Yes. A shared statement of what they need can make demand clearer and help suppliers focus development. It works best when clinicians, procurement teams and service users help define the problem.
[21:33] net_junky says: right. where do we start without redesigning maternity care by monday
[21:34] Joanna says: Choose one product group or one step in the care pathway. Find out how it works now, speak to the people involved and identify one question for suppliers. Agree what evidence would show that a change was worthwhile.
End of chat · Understand the care. Define the need. Ask suppliers better questions.
What this means for you
- Choose one product group or care-pathway step and involve the relevant clinical, procurement and infection-prevention colleagues.
- Record how products are used, what they contain, and what evidence is missing from the manufacturer.
- Agree the clinical requirements, service-user considerations and whole-pathway evidence needed to compare options.
Sources and further reading
- CleanMed Europe 2025: “Redefining maternity care through sustainable supply chains”
Based on the source transcript, particularly the presentations on neonatal product inventories in Central Denmark Region and the Sustainable Healthcare Coalition’s care-pathway and service-based procurement approaches. The dialogue is original, with practical examples and questions added. It is not a quotation of, or endorsement by, the speakers.
Editorial note: The managed pain-relief example is an exploratory procurement concept, not an established service or a clinical recommendation. Decisions about maternity and neonatal care require the appropriate clinical and infection-prevention expertise. Watch the source session.
CleanMed Europe 2025: programme and recordings from Health Care Without Harm Europe.
About the author
Joanna Whitear is the founder of Kintera Limited and supports suppliers with NHS Evergreen assessments and Carbon Reduction Plans. She has more than 15 years of sustainability and climate experience and is a lead ISO 14001 auditor.
Related reading and support
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