Sustainability Standards and Certifications for the Healthcare Sector: A Literature Review on Social, Economic, and Environmental Indicators

Globally, the ever-increasing incidence of chronic diseases due to the current aging rates of the world population and the effects of climate change have made it necessary to develop a healthcare sector capable of holistically integrating the social, economic, and environmental aspects of sustainability. Indeed, it is increasingly oriented toward the principles of sustainability within the delivery processes and operations. Furthermore, the standardized use of indicators capable of measuring and evaluating the social, economic, and environmental performances of the health sector is a crucial strategic component for policymakers, managers, and planners. Despite this, the sustainability indicators capable of monitoring such social, economic, and environmental performances in a standardized manner are undertreated in the literature. For this reason, through a literature review of different international and national standards and certifications, the proposed study aims to fill this gap by exploring and analyzing a wide range of social, economic, and environmental indicators that characterize the healthcare sector. In terms of results, this analysis not only provides an innovative but also a clarifying perspective on the role of standardization and certification in healthcare sustainability.