Anchor Leadership through Food

Health care institutions hold significant influence in their regions through their services as well as their economic and social impact, making them anchor institutions. 

Anchor institutions can leverage their influence and invest in equity, climate, and community wellbeing. Food offers cross-cutting ways to break down silos by leveraging the many resources of communities, and the health care organizations that serve them, in ways that promote health of people and the planet.

ACTIONS to Commit to Anchor Leadership through Food

Reduced Food-Related GHG Emissions

Changing hospital menus, food service operations and procurement can help to decarbonize supply chains. Health care leadership on the interrelationship between human health and the health of our ecological systems) can leverage the largest budget line in provincial/territorial budgets, and also ripple out to influence other sectors and the public on the critical need to co-solve for climate change as we tackle other pressing health issues. 

Cultivate Leadership Across the System

There is a greater ability to tackle the wicked problems facing communities across the country by working together. Increased community leadership in collaboration with the health care sector can better steward resources. Nourish’s Anchor Collaborative program convenes a diversity of stakeholders for joint conversation and action, including: community and Indigenous leaders, senior health leaders, physicians, nurses, dietitians, food service directors, procurement officers, operations staff, foundations and policymakers.

Health Care Quality Includes Sustainability

Climate change, environmental sustainability and health care quality are intertwined. Health care policymakers and providers can respond to climate change’s impacts on health and work to mitigate associated risks by embedding sustainability as part of their quality improvement efforts. Tackling sustainability alongside other quality metrics has the potential to improve multiple aspects of health care quality.

Design Within Planetary Boundaries

Planetary health care systems are designed to support planetary health, which includes reaching net-zero emissions as well as integrating more holistic measures of sustainability. In a 2021 Lancet Special Issue, MacNeil et al imagine Planetary Health Care to incorporate three principles: reduce demand for health services, match the supply of health services to demand, and reduce emissions from the supply of health services. 

RESOURCES to Commit to Anchor Leadership through Food

• Helen Bevan, Four Key Tactics for Organizational Radicals video

• Mowat Centre & Atkinson Foundation, Anchor Institutions report

• HealthCare Anchor Network, Embracing an Anchor Mission: ProMedica’s All-In Strategy report

• Nourish Anchor Cohorts Overview

• Fraser Health, Planetary Health Strategy 2023-2028

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