The UPMC Center for Sustainability proudly partners with organizations and nonprofits to improve the health of our communities. Our work includes sustainable initiatives, reducing waste, improving energy efficiency, and more.
Learn about some of our community partners and how we’re working to achieve our goals.
BikePGH is a Pittsburgh-based nonprofit that aims to make city streets safer and more accessible for biking and walking. They advocate for safe, car-free transportation. They also offer educational classes, volunteer opportunities, and more.
Global Links rescues surplus medical supplies and equipment and redirects them to communities in need. They are dedicated to sustainability and improving access to quality care. Their work positively impacted both local and international communities both locally and internationally.
UPMC and the Pennsylvania Resources Council (PRC) partner to advance sustainability through community recycling, waste reduction, and environmental education initiatives across Pennsylvania.
Together, we promote responsible disposal by supporting programs such as household hazardous waste collection events, electronics recycling, and educational outreach that encourage environmental stewardship.
This collaboration reflects UPMC’s commitment to improving community and environmental health while helping employees and residents adopt more sustainable practices.
UPMC partners with Phipps Conservatory and Botanic Gardens to advance sustainable landscaping, biodiversity, and environmental stewardship across our campuses.
Through this collaboration, UPMC grounds and facilities staff have participated in Phipps' Sustainable Landcare Accreditation Program, gaining expertise in environmentally responsible landscaping practices that support healthier ecosystems.
The partnership helps UPMC integrate sustainability into daily operations while enhancing the beauty, resilience, and ecological value of our outdoor spaces.
Through the Penguins Pledge, the Pittsburgh Penguins collaborate with community partners to improve social, economic, and environmental sustainability. The initiative aims to preserve natural resources, support economic and social development, and reduce negative environmental impacts.
The Penguins also partner with the Green Sports Alliance, which consists of leagues, teams, venues, and universities working together to promote sustainability practices.
UPMC partners with Tree Pittsburgh to host annual tree-distribution events for employees, empowering staff to make a direct environmental impact in their communities.
By planting trees locally, UPMC employees help improve air quality, reduce stormwater runoff, and enhance neighborhood green spaces.
Together, UPMC and Tree Pittsburgh foster a culture of environmental stewardship and create healthier, more resilient communities for future generations.
UPMC partners with Health Care Without Harm, a leading international healthcare sustainability organization, to advance climate action and promote environmental health across the health system.
Through its research, climate guidance, and policy resources, Health Care Without Harm helps support UPMC’s sustainability planning and decision-making.
This collaboration strengthens UPMC Center for Sustainability’s long-term healthcare climate strategy.
UPMC is a proud participant in the National Academy of Medicine's Climate Collaborative, a national initiative uniting health systems, health professional organizations, and other stakeholders to reduce the health sector's environmental footprint and build climate resilience.
Dr. Boninger, Chief Medical Sustainability Officer at UPMC, represents the health system on the Collaborative's Supply Chain working group and leads work through the SWIFT Working Group to leverage electronic health records as a tool for measuring and reducing the environmental impact of clinical care. Dr. Woods, Co-Director for Sustainability in the School of Medicine, is also active in the education work group.
Through this partnership, UPMC helps advance national strategies for a more sustainable, climate-resilient health sector while bringing emerging best practices back into its own operations.
Practice Greenhealth provides nationally recognized benchmarking tools, sustainability metrics, educational resources, and best practices that help guide environmental initiatives systemwide.
The partnership supports UPMC's efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, advance sustainable purchasing, minimize waste, improve transportation programs, and strengthen food sustainability initiatives while measuring progress against peer health systems nationwide.
Through this collaboration, UPMC hospitals have earned multiple Practice Greenhealth awards, demonstrating leadership and achievement in healthcare sustainability and environmental stewardship.
UPMC partners with the Green Building Alliance’s 2030 Districts in the Cities of Pittsburgh, Erie, and New Kensington to benchmark building performance, track energy and water use, and advance greenhouse gas reduction goals across participating facilities.
Through this collaboration, UPMC submits annual building performance data and works toward the shared 2030 District target of reducing emissions, energy use, and resource consumption while improving building efficiency and environmental performance.
These partnerships support UPMC’s broader sustainability commitment to reduce organizational greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030 and strengthen community-wide climate action efforts.
The Oakland Energy Master Plan (OEMP), adopted by the City of Pittsburgh in 2022, charts a collaborative and equitable path toward a low-carbon energy future in Oakland.
In partnership with UPMC, local universities, the city, and other local entities, the plan centers strategies such as heat pump retrofits, commercial building upgrades, district energy decarbonization, community solar, and battery storage.
UPMC partners with Sustainable Pittsburgh to strengthen regional sustainability efforts through networking, policy engagement, and collaboration with business and community leaders.
Through this partnership, the UPMC Center for Sustainability connects with regional initiatives, shares best practices, and helps advance community-wide environmental and climate action goals.
Through participation in the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), UPMC collaborates with peer institutions nationwide to share best practices, benchmark progress, and identify strategies that improve patient care, health outcomes, operational efficiency, resilience, and workforce engagement.
This partnership helps UPMC stay connected to emerging sustainability initiatives and reinforces its role as a leader in healthcare sustainability.
University of Pittsburgh’s Center for Sustainability in the Health Sciences is grounded in advancing sustainability education, research, and workforce development.
Together, Pitt and UPMC connect academic learning with healthcare operations through student engagement, applied research, sustainability challenges, and educational programming.
The partnership helps cultivate future healthcare leaders while accelerating innovative solutions that improve environmental sustainability, community health, and healthcare delivery.
The UPMC Center for Sustainability and 412 Food Rescue partner to address food waste and food insecurity. Through this work, 412 Food Rescue collects food that would otherwise go to waste. They deliver the food to people in need.
Each year, UPMC dedicates an entire month to promoting food security, which impacts those in need in our neighborhoods and is essential to community health.
This initiative goes beyond traditional donation drives. It fosters education, inspires meaningful conversations, and encourages impactful community action.
Through engaging events and the leadership of UPMC employee champions, we:
Since 2022, UPMC has donated over 214,000 pounds of food to community partners.
Through the Food Recovery Heroes collaboration, students gain hands-on experience in sustainability, public health, and community service while supporting UPMC’s commitment to responsible resource management.
Together, the partnership demonstrates how healthcare and higher education can work collaboratively to create lasting environmental and social benefits.
The recovered food is redistributed to help students who are identified as food insecure.
