By Jyri Mäkinen, HCF Global Sales Manager, Wipak Health
Reducing environmental impacts is becoming a key priority across healthcare systems worldwide. Hospitals, healthcare providers and medical device manufacturers are increasingly expected to reduce environmental impacts while maintaining the highest standards of patient safety and regulatory compliance. The challenge lies in balancing these objectives without compromising quality or performance.
At Steriking®, environmental performance considerations are not viewed as a separate initiative but as an integral part of product development, manufacturing and operational excellence. Backed by Wipak’s latest ESG Report 2025, this approach brings together environmental progress, patient safety, responsible sourcing, employee well-being and transparent governance, all essential for advancing healthcare packaging solutions with reduced environmental impacts. Steriking® packaging solutions are designed to support healthcare organizations in their environmental initiatives while continuing to protect patients and healthcare professionals.
Unlike many industries, healthcare packaging operates within a highly regulated environment where product safety can never be compromised. In healthcare, packaging designed to reduce environmental impacts is not only about lowering environmental impact, it also requires robust quality systems, safe working practices, responsible supplier management and transparent governance. Wipak’s ESG and environmental improvement approach is therefore built specifically for healthcare applications, combining environmental performance, patient safety and compliance with stringent industry requirements.
All improvements are implemented while maintaining essential packaging performance characteristics such as sterilization compatibility, barrier integrity and compliance with recognized healthcare packaging standards. This commitment is supported by internationally recognized management systems, including ISO 14001 for environmental management and ISO 13485 and ISO 9001 for quality management and operational excellence. Wipak has also achieved an EcoVadis Silver rating and is working towards a Platinum rating by 2030.
Wipak has made significant progress in reducing its environmental footprint. The company has reduced operational greenhouse gas emissions through a combination of emission reduction measures and climate contribution initiatives. Operational emissions have been reduced significantly since 2019, while more than 96% of the electricity used across production sites now comes from renewable electricity sources. The company is also committed to the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), with ambitions to further reduce product-related emissions by 2030.
These efforts demonstrate that meaningful climate action is possible even in highly regulated industries where quality and safety requirements are exceptionally demanding.
Environmental performance extends beyond manufacturing operations. Responsible sourcing and material selection are critical parts of creating healthcare packaging solutions with reduced environmental impacts. Wipak applies ESG-based supplier assessments, targeted supplier audits and a Supplier Code of Conduct to help encourage responsible practices throughout its supply chain. Selected sites are certified under ISCC PLUS, enabling the use of certified circular and bio-circular raw materials with traceability through a mass-balance approach. Additionally, Steriking® shipping boxes are FSC® certified and contain significant levels of recycled fibre content. The company also focuses on reducing logistics-related emissions through shipment consolidation, improved production planning and collaboration with local or regional suppliers whenever possible.
Healthcare organizations worldwide are increasingly setting ambitious targets for carbon reduction and waste minimization. Environmental and ESG-related considerations are becoming an important part of procurement decisions and supplier evaluations.
Steriking® products are designed to support these objectives where applicable. By reducing waste, enabling recycling and improving resource efficiency, Steriking® packaging solutions can help hospitals reduce environmental impacts associated with packaging and sterile processing activities without compromising the sterility and safety of medical devices.
One important contributor is the long-validated shelf life provided by Steriking® packaging. Longer shelf life helps hospitals reduce product expiration, minimize unnecessary reprocessing and lower emissions associated with sterile processing activities. This delivers both environmental and operational benefits across healthcare facilities.
As healthcare organizations seek to improve waste segregation and recycling rates, packaging design plays an increasingly important role. Steriking® offers a variety of solutions that support recycling and circular-economy objectives. Depending on the application, products may utilize mono-material polypropylene structures designed for recyclability where suitable collection and recycling infrastructure exists, recyclable Tyvek® materials within HDPE recycling streams, or packaging components that can be separated into dedicated paper and plastic recycling channels. Certain trayliner solutions additionally incorporate bio-based materials. This design approach supports waste segregation and recycling efforts where suitable collection, sorting and recycling systems are available.
Environmental performance in healthcare is not only about reducing carbon emissions. It is about creating long-term value through responsible use of resources, circular design, employee well-being, ethical business practices and responsibly managed supply chains.
Steriking® products are developed using carefully selected materials that support both environmental and chemical safety requirements. Features include solvent-free laminates, water-based lead-free inks, compliance with REACH requirements and the avoidance of substances such as PFAS, latex and phthalates. Materials are also selected to support patient safety and global regulatory compliance. By reducing potential environmental and occupational exposure risks, these choices align with the growing ESG expectations of healthcare providers and public-sector organizations.
Healthcare procurement is evolving rapidly. Organizations are increasingly evaluating suppliers based not only on product performance but also on environmental, social and governance credentials. Steriking® products are aligned with emerging procurement requirements, including net-zero initiatives, carbon disclosure expectations, recyclability objectives and broader environmental and ESG roadmaps. By combining verified regulatory performance with continuous environmental improvements, Steriking® enables healthcare providers to make informed purchasing decisions without compromising clinical outcomes.
Through reduced emissions, improved recyclability, strong governance practices and transparent environmental and ESG commitments, Steriking® helps healthcare suppliers and hospitals demonstrate progress towards their own environmental and ESG goals.
The transition towards healthcare systems with lower environmental impacts requires collaboration across the value chain. Packaging manufacturers, hospitals, healthcare providers and medical device companies all have an important role to play.
By combining patient safety, regulatory compliance, circular design principles and measurable environmental performance, Steriking® is helping healthcare organizations move towards a future where environmental performance improvements and clinical excellence go hand in hand.
