Sutter Health Accelerates Sustainability with Initiatives Across its Footprint

This Earth Day, Sutter Health is reaffirming its commitment to caring for people and the planet by accelerating sustainability efforts.

From electrifying how patients, visitors, physicians and employees get to Sutter campuses to rethinking the everyday operational choices that shape its environmental footprint, the not-for-profit healthcare system is focused on practical changes that reduce emissions, conserve resources and support healthier communities.

Recent progress includes expanding EV car-charging access as well as advancing food and waste stewardship through initiatives like Practice Greenhealth’s Coolfood Pledge. In addition, Sutter has reduced paper, printing and transportation emissions by transitioning to digital mail.

Paperless Statements

In December 2025, Sutter’s online patient portal users were automatically enrolled in paperless e-statements. In addition to supporting Sutter’s sustainability goals, paperless e-statements through My Health Online reduce the risk of lost or misdirected paper bills and allow patients to view bills as soon as they’re ready—no waiting for mail delivery.

While paper bills vary in length, the average bill can contain about four pages. Sutter increased paperless e-statements for all patients from 33% at the beginning of 2025 to 62% by early 2026.

EV Car-Charging Stations from EnviroSpark

Sutter Health’s EV charging network continues to grow, with 417 charging ports already in use and expansion underway. The organization is adding 77 new chargers at two additional sites and is evaluating another 45 locations —demonstrating strong momentum toward greater accessibility and convenience for patients, staff and visitors.

The expansion efforts show Sutter’s commitment to supporting cleaner transportation options and reducing its environmental impact as part of its broader sustainability strategy.

Solar Panels

Sutter continues to make steady progress across its solar and resiliency portfolio.

There are nearly a dozen operational solar installations across Northern California serving Sutter hospitals and medical office buildings. These systems range in size and configuration but are already contributing to reduced grid reliance and lower operational emissions.

In addition to the sites that are online today, Sutter has a strong pipeline of projects in progress:

• Six sites under active construction, including hospital campuses and larger medical centers, several of which incorporate battery storage to support resiliency.
• More than 25 additional sites in permitting, planning, validation, or early development phases, with further locations under evaluation for future solar and battery opportunities.

From both a sustainability and resiliency perspective, these projects serve a dual purpose:

• Environmentally, on‑site solar generation helps reduce reliance on grid‑supplied electricity and lowers associated greenhouse gas emissions.
• From a resiliency standpoint, pairing solar with battery storage allows select facilities to maintain critical electrical loads during grid outages, support continuity of care, and reduce vulnerability to disruptions caused by extreme weather or utility events.

Together, these systems strengthen operational reliability while advancing environmental responsibility.

Practice Greenhealth Coolfood Pledge

Sutter hospitals have taken the Coolfood Pledge, a platform to help hospitals offer diners more of what they want while reducing food-related greenhouse gas emissions, saving costs and improving health.

The Coolfood Pledge outlines key commitments that help guide how Sutter leads, measures and strengthens sustainability across its operations:

• Executive-Level Accountability – Accountability is embedded into governance, leadership oversight and operational planning with measurable goals and public reporting.
• Waste Reduction & Circular Practices – Sutter is committed to proactively reduce regulated medical waste, landfill waste and single-use materials and shift toward reuse, recycling and smarter purchasing. Healthcare is one of the largest waste producers in the U.S.
• Climate & Energy Stewardship -Sutter is dedicated to reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions through efficiency, renewable energy, and infrastructure upgrades.
• Safer Chemicals & Sustainable Purchasing – Sutter is also committed to reducing hazardous chemicals in products, pharmaceuticals and cleaning supplies – protecting patients, staff and communities. For example, Sutter’s Perioperative Clinical Effectiveness Advisory Council, in partnership with Pharmacy, reduced the use of Desflurane, an anesthesia gas used during surgery, by 75% across the system. Desflurane is a high greenhouse gas emitter, staying in the atmosphere for 15 years.
• Continuous Improvement & Transparency – Sutter is also dedicated to measuring performance, benchmarking against peers, and continuously improving.

As a health system, Sutter takes an active role in reducing food waste and overproduction. With the help of Copia, 24 Sutter hospitals partner with 171 local agencies to donate excess food to their communities. Since 2019, Sutter has shared 386,800 meals locally, diverted 1.4 million pounds of CO₂e and saved 105.8 million gallons of water.

The Green Effect of Digital Mail

Since transitioning to digital mail in February 2024, Sutter has significantly reduced its environmental footprint by replacing paper-based mail with digital workflows. The shift cuts paper use, energy consumption and transportation-related emissions — delivering measurable sustainability gains.

The impact:

• 2.4 million physical mail pieces eliminated, saving an estimated 57.5 metric tons of CO₂ annually
• 1 million fewer print clicks, reducing emissions by 8.58 metric tons of CO₂ each year
• 101,634 miles removed from mail and courier routes, avoiding 32.63 metric tons of CO₂

Together, these efforts result in an estimated 122.83 metric tons of CO₂ eliminated annually — the equivalent of:

• Taking 27 passenger vehicles off the road for a year
• Eliminating the annual energy use of 15.5 homes
• Growing 2,031 tree seedlings for 10 years
• Avoiding the burning of 284 barrels of oil

This Earth Day, Sutter Health is proud of the momentum it’s building—and it is just getting started. Sutter is committed to finding practical ways to reduce its footprint and protect the health of the communities it serves. Read more about Sutter’s sustainability efforts.