CJ Medical - Product Carbon Footprint

The client

CJ Medical is a UK-based provider of innovative medical devices and solutions that support better patient outcomes and healthcare efficiency. The company partners with leading manufacturers to supply hospitals, clinics, and healthcare professionals with products that are safe, effective, and compliant with the highest quality standards.

With a strong commitment to sustainability and responsible sourcing, CJ Medical recognises the importance of understanding and reducing the environmental impacts of its product portfolio. This Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) study represents a proactive step towards transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement in environmental performance.

Carbon Sense and The Way To Do Ltd were commissioned to complete a Product Carbon Footprint analysis for a selection of CJ Medical's key product lines, covering nine medical devices sourced from international manufacturing partners.

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The brief

Medical devices present a complex challenge for sustainability analysis. Products are often manufactured overseas, shipped via multiple transport modes, packaged in clinical-grade materials, and must be incinerated as clinical waste at end of life, each stage carrying its own carbon burden.

CJ Medical wanted to build a clear, evidence-based picture of the carbon emissions embedded across its core product range, and to understand how procurement and logistics decisions could influence overall environmental performance.

A key driver was the NHS Evergreen Sustainable Supplier Assessment, the NHS's framework for evaluating the sustainability credentials of its supply chain partners. Meeting the minimum requirements of Evergreen Level 1 is increasingly expected of suppliers to NHS, and CJ Medical recognised that credible product-level carbon data would be central to satisfying those requirements and to building a platform for further progress.

The key objectives were to:

Quantify the CO₂e emissions of each product across its full lifecycle, from raw material extraction to end-of-life disposal
Compare the carbon impact of alternative inward shipping methods (air freight vs. cargo ship) across the product range
Understand the relative contribution of materials, packaging, transportation and disposal to each product's total footprint
Provide a credible, evidence-based baseline to support supply chain decisions, supplier engagement and customer communications
Meet the requirements of NHS Evergreen Sustainable Supplier Assessment at minimum Level 1, with a clear pathway to higher levels
Position CJ Medical ahead of emerging UK Sustainability Reporting Standards and broader NHS supply chain sustainability expectations

The solution

Carbon Sense and The Way To Do Ltd carried out a Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) assessment across nine of CJ Medical's key product lines, following a structured cradle-to-grave methodology aligned with GWP100 (Global Warming Potential over 100 years) and using CO₂e as the primary impact indicator.

The assessment was built from primary data provided by CJ Medical's suppliers and sustainability team, supplemented by industry-standard emissions factor databases. Each product was assessed across five lifecycle stages:

A key component of the analysis was a comparative assessment of inward shipping methods. For products currently transported by air freight, the study modelled the carbon impact of switching to cargo ship, providing CJ Medical with actionable data on potential emission reductions achievable through logistics optimisation alone.

The use phase was considered negligible for all nine products, as none contain electronic or powered components,meaning end-of-life incineration as clinical waste represents the final significant emission source in each product's lifecycle.

CLIENT TESTIMONIAL

We worked with Carbon Sense and The Way To Do to carry out a Product Carbon Footprint assessment across nine of our medical device product lines, a project that went well beyond what we initially expected. From the outset, they were extremely helpful and responsive, taking time to understand the complexity of our supply chain and explaining the process clearly at every stage. Fees and scope were transparent from day one, which made the whole experience straightforward to manage internally. The results have genuinely moved the needle for us. We now have credible, evidence-based carbon data for our core product range, which has strengthened our NHS supplier credentials and put us in a strong position on the Evergreen Sustainable Supplier Assessment. The work also revealed some significant opportunities to reduce emissions through changes to our inbound logistics, something we wouldn't have identified without this level of analysis. Carbon Sense exceeded our expectations, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them to any business serious about understanding and reducing its environmental impact through carbon accounting and life cycle analysis.

Liv Hill

Sustainability Manager

The Results

Communicate verified, quantified carbon data for nine product lines to NHS customers and procurement partners
Identify cargo ship freight as a priority action to significantly reduce supply chain emissions for key product lines
Engage suppliers in targeted conversations around material choices, packaging reduction and logistics improvements
Use this baseline to track emissions performance year-on-year and demonstrate continuous improvement
Satisfy the requirements of NHS Evergreen Sustainable Supplier Assessment at Level 1, and with the evidence now in place, CJ Medical is well on the way to achieving Level 3, demonstrating an advanced commitment to environmental transparency across its product portfolio
Support positioning ahead of UK Sustainability Reporting Standards and wider NHS supply chain sustainability requirements