Ética y responsabilidad social. Comunicación y sostenibilidad medioambiental en los hospitales

Abstract

Hospitals are places with a social character that ensures the health and well-being of patients and guarantees the economic sustainability of the communities in which it operates (Rodríguez Cala et al., 2015). Based on this statement and the three dimensions of CSR, we understand that the social and economic dimensions of hospitals are perfectly integrated into their philosophy and policy, they are part of their ethics and values. It is the environmental dimension where this adherence is not yet so clear. In the same way that the number of medical specialties that counteract diseases caused by climate change is increasing (Fernández Sanz & Gamero Rus, 2019), it is necessary for hospitals to assume the responsibility that concernsthem with the environment and the society. This work aims to approach the management of environmental ethical responsibility of two public hospitals of different size and degree of complexity,belonging to the Madrid Health Service Network. For this we baseourselves on the definition of ethical responsibility and on a new interpretation of the levels of Corporate Social Responsibility CSR formalized by Carroll (1991). The methodology used is specified in qualitative techniques, in-depth interviews with those responsible for environmental management in hospitals, and a focus group with their health personnel and with external audiences. The results show that hospitals should make a greater effort in their environmental communication, based on accessible ethical and corporate codes, that achieve what Porter and Kramer (2011) call the Creation of Shared Value (CVC), a reciprocal benefit for the organization and its stakeholders; environmental sustainability.