Commitment to seek improvements in sustainability

Environmental sustainability

Gavi promotes energy-efficient cold chain equipment, such as solar refrigeration (Mbankana, DRC).
Credit: Gavi/2015/P. Moore.

Geneva, 22 April 2016 - Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance has today published, for World Earth Day, an updated statement on Environmental Sustainability. The statement recognises the impact that issues such as resource scarcity, environmental degradation and climate change are having on global disease trends and how this can disproportionately affect children living in the countries Gavi supports. Immunisation can be a powerful tool to help countries protect the health of people.

Changes in temperature and rainfall can lead to increased prevalence and spread of vector- and water-borne diseases. Existing immunisation programmes can be severely disrupted by population displacement and resource scarcity, leading to further risks of disease outbreaks.

Gavi’s implementing partners have put in place a number of environmental sustainability policies and safeguards that guide Gavi programmes.  The Alliance also encourages countries to have immunisation waste management plans compliant with WHO standards. Gavi promotes cold chain equipment improvements and for corporate procurement, Gavi requires its suppliers to comply with internationally recognised standards.

In 2016, Gavi is committed to exploring ways of making Vaccine Alliance programmes more environmentally friendly, while at the same time maintaining high standards of quality and safety. Gavi’s Secretariat will also conduct an audit of its corporate policies to reassess their environmental impact and take any relevant action to reduce the environmental impact of its activities.

Read more 

 

Subscribe to our newsletter