A COMBER-based health product firm has used this year’s World Earth Day to unveil its climate action targets, ahead of its net zero goals by 2045.
Eakin Healthcare, which manufactures and supplies medical devices for ostomy, wound, respiratory and surgical needs, has revealed the measures which have been validated by the governing global authority within the health sector, the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).
The news means that the Ballystockart Road headquartered company is now ranked in the top one per cent of global medical device manufacturers for climate action.
Eakin Healthcare has committed to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions across its entire value chain by 2045 – five years ahead of the UK’s national target.
In the near future, Eakins measures include reducing direct greenhouse gas emissions from its facilities and vehicle fleet by 70%, and continuing to source 100% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2031.
As well as cutting supply chain greenhouse gas emissions by 52% per pound of value generated, its efforts follow the company’s measures since 2022 to source 100% renewable electricity.
Since then, it has also been investing significantly in energy efficiency, installing air‑source heat pumps and solar panels across all its manufacturing sites.
On World Earth Day on April 22, Eakin Healthcare said these climate action targets align with the latest climate science and a global standard used by companies worldwide.
The goals also make the company one of only 11 Northern Ireland–headquartered businesses to achieve SBTi validation.
Padraic Dempsey, chief executive officer of Eakin Healthcare, said the SBTi validation ‘means our plan has been independently assessed against the latest climate science’.
He said he recognised their climate action targets were ‘ambitious, but they’re measurable’.
“They build on the progress we’ve already made, and they align with our commitment to lead with care. Our focus now is on delivery: cutting emissions across our operations and working with our suppliers and partners to reduce value-chain emissions too.
“Healthcare companies have a responsibility to act on climate change, and we see that responsibility as an opportunity to innovate – improving how we power our sites, heat our buildings and design products with sustainability built in. That mindset has been part of Eakin since our founder began solving real patient needs more than 50 years ago, and it continues to guide how we operate today,” he said.
