A closing with vision: SustainMed drives sustainability forward
On June 27, 2025, the closing event of the SustainMed funding project took place at the Ministry of the Interior, for Digitization and Municipalities in Stuttgart. The event, organized by BioRegio STERN Management GmbH in cooperation with BG Klinik Tübingen, FREESIXTYFIVE GmbH, and novis GmbH, focused on the central question of how the transformation toward greater sustainability in hospitals can be achieved concretely. As one of the project partners, we are pleased to have actively contributed to the design and implementation of this forward-looking project.
Impulses, Results, and Discussions – A Versatile Program
The event began with a warm welcome from Dr. Klaus Eichenberg, Managing Director of BioRegio STERN Management GmbH. This was followed by a presentation from Dr. Marie Reumann of BG Klinik Tübingen, who shared the key project results of SustainMed, including the pilot projects and the digital platform supporting sustainability in healthcare. The market compass study, summarizing the main project findings, can be downloaded here.
The forums and contributions highlighted sustainable solutions from various perspectives:
- Sustainable best practices from everyday hospital operations, including topics such as anesthetic gases (UKT), waste management (Pforzheim University of Applied Sciences), and activities of the Climate Working Group of the BG Klinikkonzern (BG Klinik Tübingen).
- Innovative manufacturers presented their approaches on how sustainability can be conceptualized and implemented along the entire value chain.
- A scientific poster exhibition showcased current research findings and gave guests the opportunity to directly compare pilot products from the funding project, such as surgical kits and single-use/reusable instruments.
- The political discussion panel underscored how crucial framework conditions and targeted funding are for the transformation of the healthcare sector.
A special highlight was the closing screening of the film “This is the waste of one operation, my operation” by Maria Koijck, which vividly visualized the waste generated by a single surgical procedure.
Panel discussion
Panel Discussion on the Topic "Expectations and Solutions in Dialogue Between Politics, Manufacturers, Health Insurers, and Hospitals"
/ Copyright: Leif Piechowski/ BioRegio STERN Management GmbHSibylle Hepting-Hug, Senior Government Director, Ministry of Environment, Climate and Energy Economy Baden-Württemberg, Head of Department for Climate, Sustainability, Resource Efficiency, and Circular Economy
/ Copyright: Leif Piechowski/ BioRegio STERN Management GmbHFrom left to right: Jörg Enk (Director Product Development & Sustainability Representative, Division Risk Prevention, PAUL HARTMANN AG), Bettina Lichtner (Head of Corporate Development, AOK Baden-Württemberg), PD Dr. med. MIPH Mika Rollmann (BG Klinik Tübingen, Deputy Medical Director of the Clinical Study Center)
/ Copyright: Leif Piechowski/ BioRegio STERN Management GmbHDr. Klaus Eichenberg, Managing Director of BioRegio STERN Management GmbH, moderated the panel discussion.
/ Copyright: Leif Piechowski/ BioRegio STERN Management GmbHLectures and impulses
Sibylle Hepting-Hug (Senior Government Director, Ministry of Environment, Climate and Energy Economy Baden-Württemberg) on the topic: “Political Steering: Targeted Promotion and Support of Sustainability in Hospitals”
/ Copyright: Leif Piechowski/ BioRegio STERN Management GmbHDr. Marie Reumann (BG Klinik Tübingen, Medical Director of the Clinical Study Center) presented SustainMed and the project results.
/ Copyright: Leif Piechowski/ BioRegio STERN Management GmbHProf. Dr. Christian Grasshoff (University Hospital Tübingen, Deputy Medical Director and Senior Consultant Physician, Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine) gave a presentation on “Anesthetic Gases at UKT” as a best practice example from the hospital.
/ Copyright: Leif Piechowski/ BioRegio STERN Management GmbHProf. Dr.-Ing. Jörg Woidasky (Pforzheim University, Faculty of Engineering – Sustainable Product Development) on the topic: “Benchmark Study on Waste Generation in German Hospitals”
/ Copyright: Leif Piechowski/ BioRegio STERN Management GmbHArmin Schorer (Managing Director of ASANUS Medizintechnik GmbH) presented a contribution from the industry perspective: “Innovative Manufacturers – Rethinking Sustainability in Healthcare”
/ Copyright: Leif Piechowski/ BioRegio STERN Management GmbHImpressions & conclusion
The event made it clear: the SustainMed project has demonstrated in a short time the progress that targeted cooperation between clinics, research institutions, and industry can achieve. The developed solutions and the platform are not only visionary but already ready for use today.
At the same time, it became evident that the path to sustainable transformation in hospitals is a shared one: further cooperation and intensive exchange between startups, clinical staff, and industry representatives are urgently needed to fully realize the potential.
Sustainability in healthcare must not be a peripheral topic – it needs to be established as an integral part of future hospital planning, procurement, and practice. The SustainMed event was a strong step in this direction.
A heartfelt thank you to all actors, speakers, and participants of this event for their valuable contributions and the engaging exchange.
Interactive exchange
Networking
Further information
You can find everything about the SustainMed project on the project website.
The event program can be viewed here (in german):
BioRegio STERN Management GmbH