[Sustainability in Flemish and Dutch mental health care]

The Flemish and Dutch (mental) health sectors cause greenhouse gas emissions and therefore will have to make an effort to reduce their climate impact.

To assess whether differences can be found in the climate policies of Flemish and Dutch mental health institutions.

Descriptive research based on a sustainability questionnaire, in which concrete actions, objectives and ambitions in the field of sustainability were questioned at Flemish and Dutch mental health institutions.

59% and 38% of respectively the Flemish and Dutch institutions fully agreed that sustainability is a very important theme (with a main focus on sustainable energy transition and recycling in both regions). Statistically significant differences between both regions were only found with regard to fostering more sustainable commuting (stronger in Flanders; p < 0.0001). The climate impact of medicines and food, as well as investments in sustainable projects, received little attention.

Although a substantial part of Flemish and Dutch mental health institutions consider sustainability (very) important, a systemic ‘transformation’ will be necessary to make them climate neutral.