Program on the Environment

As modern data management technologies allow for ever-increasing amounts of information collection, a major challenge for organizations is the increasing complexity in striving to implement sustainability goals and initiatives that make effective use of this data. Many organizations become overwhelmed by the sheer amount of data they are collecting and cannot properly synthesize it into usable insights that can be deployed. This research project explores the critical need for modeling and managing vast amounts of sustainability data to effectively meet organizational goals and achieve sustainable outcomes. Through my internship with UW Medicine at Harborview Medical Center, I explored this topic through a study examining the integration of modern data-driven decision-making with sustainability practices to achieve 5- and 10-year sustainability benchmarks. Using a case study approach, the project involved building a sustainability dashboard tool to manage and visualize key metrics. The data environment analysis revealed insights into successful models for optimizing resource utilization, specifically focusing on reducing physical and chemical waste to decrease carbon footprints in healthcare delivery. These findings align with broader state and local sustainability goals while supporting the long term strategic vision for organizational sustainability. By leveraging data analytics and visualization techniques, the research demonstrates how organizations can refine their data management process to deploy strategies that achieve environmental, social, and financial sustainability. This approach empowers businesses and institutions, both within and beyond the healthcare sector, to make informed decisions that drive positive environmental outcomes, contributing to a more sustainable future.