IVC Evidensia and VetStrategy release Positive Pawprint Update

One year after the launch of its Positive Pawprint sustainability strategy, IVC Evidensia has published an update on its progress and achievements within the program.

The annual sustainability report includes a commitment to a science-based rate of decarbonization, with proposed targets to reduce absolute Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 50% by 2030 through initiatives including increased use of renewable energy and low flow anaesthetic gas usage, with a goal to ultimately reach net-zero by 2050.

IVC Evidensia’s Positive Pawprint strategy aims to protect the health and happiness of people and their pets while reducing the group’s environmental impact and promoting a cleaner and more sustainable environment. A powerful statement of the business’s belief in setting and sharing new standards of sustainability in animal health, the strategy is based on three pillars: People, Planet, and Patients. It forms part of our commitment to delivering our purpose of healthy animals, happy owners, and supports our sustainability promise to be a force for good.

On its 2021 launch, targets were set across IVC Evidensia operations worldwide with a commitment to report against those targets.

As part of IVC Evidensia Group, VetStrategy will develop and support its own action plans and support the Group’s work towards the shared Positive Pawprint objectives. Key achievements and initiatives include:

People

• Our objective is to establish well-being programs in all our markets by 2023 and we’re on track to achieve this by launching programs including Aleks’ Promise across Canada.
• Launched a Group Retirement and Savings Plan for all VetStrategy employees, which consists of employee contributions to a RRSP or TFSA plan, and employer contributions to a deferred profit-sharing plan (subject to eligibility and plan maximum rules).
• Recognizing the important part that IVC Evidensia clinics play in their local communities, over $175,000 worth of grants have been provided to 147 charities and non-profit organizations which have been nominated by team members across the Group. Click here to learn more about some of our recent grant recipients in Canada.
• Opened L’Académie vétérinaire Daubigny, Canada’s first permanent veterinary continuing education center for hands-on training. Click here for more details.

Planet

• The Group, including VetStrategy, has agreed to a science-based decarbonization strategy which will reduce operational (Scope 1 and 2) emissions by 50% and has committed to a Net-Zero target of 2050 for greenhouse gas emissions, with energy reduction initiatives rolled out in multiple countries.
• This year, IVC Evidensia is launching training that focuses on teaching low flow techniques to reduce the volume of anesthetic gas used in surgery, minimizing the environmental impact without any compromise to patient welfare.

Patients

• IVC Evidensia’s commitment to animals and their owners is to provide world-class veterinary care, delivered locally. Combining the passion and skills of its team members and non-clinical support staff creates a powerful, collective driving force for good and gives practice teams the opportunity to innovate and achieve professional excellence in the care they provide. The Positive Pawprint commitments focus on the positive impacts the business can make on global issues, for example, through the responsible use of antibiotics.
• Almost 6.5 million animals were treated in IVC Evidensia Group practices across the world in the last 12 months, with the IVC Evidensia Care Fund facilitating life-saving treatment of more than 2,700 animals.

For more information on IVC Evidensia and Positive Pawprint view the full report here. For a Canada-specific summary, please click here (SharePoint) or click here (Dropbox).