Reduce climate impact

Climate changes and global health are highly interlinked. According to WHO, climate change is the single biggest health threat. CO2 emissions from health care systems are fairly high and under-addressed. As a healthcare service provider, we want to do our part. We strive to advance healthcare while we reduce our climate impact.

It is our current assessment that Falck’s single biggest direct adverse impact on the climate derives from the fuel consumption of our fleet. We have therefore begun the transition from diesel and petrol-powered vehicles to electric vehicles and adopting the use of biofuels. Read more

We are aware that our operations impact the climate in other ways, e.g., through the energy consumption in buildings, the equipment used in our ambulances and the business travel of our employees, cf. scope 1-3 guidelines of the Greenhouse Gas Protocol. That is why we are widening the scope to also set targets for our indirect emissions (scope 2, e.g. electricity/heating) and our value chain (scope 3, e.g. goods & services) emissions.

Commitment to Science Based Targets initiative

Falck has committed to Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi). We are currently setting science-based targets, aligned with the Paris Agreement, for scopes 1, 2, and 3 emissions.

To deliver on our commitments, we need to transform systems, reinvent services, and optimise operations. We are working for a green transition while advancing sustainable healthcare. We strive to reduce emissions within existing ways of working by electrification of our fleet. We work smarter by enabling digital solutions and thereby reducing the use of our fleet. We innovate new solutions like in-home treatment that reduce hospitalisation and provide better patient care.

In 2024, we prepared 2022 baselines for scopes 1, 2 and 3, and have defined CO2 reduction pathways in line with the Paris Agreement and to align as necessary according to climate science to limit the global temperature rise to 1.5°C. The targets are awaiting approval from SBTi.

We believe that with transparent, clear, and comprehensive guidance on how we count our greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, others in the sector can be encouraged to do the same. We want to support all within healthcare and emergency services who would like to be more ambitious on climate change – our customers, collaborators, and even our competitors.

To support this, we have published our 2022 baseline in a climate transparency report, which has received limited assurance under ISO 14064-1 by an independent institution.

Read the Climate Transparency Report

Targets set for emissions

Transitioning to a green fleet

In 2021, HVO biofuels accounted for more than 70% of all fuel used in Falck Sweden. We’re monitoring and following the development of biofuels as they can play a role in bridging the gap between fossil fuel vehicles and zero emission vehicles.

HVO (hydrotreated vegetable oil) is a 100% fossil-free product made from renewable and sustainably sourced fats and oils, including waste and residue from food industries. It has the same or better technical properties as regular diesel and can be used in existing vehicles, where the manufacturer has approved HVO. HVO can reduce CO₂ emissions by up to 90%. Its tailpipe CO₂ emissions are considered zero, as the amount of carbon dioxide released upon combustion equals the amount the renewable raw material has absorbed earlier.