MWI Focuses on Collaboration to Improve Environmental and Social Sustainability

Veterinary practice inventory managers often deal with multiple distributors, because they choose vendors based on cost as a high priority. They receive numerous shipments each week, which bogs down the staff and diverts time and effort away from patient and client care. Although cost is always a consideration, partnering with a distributor who prioritizes sustainability and improved staffing and practice workflows can significantly impact your business.

This article is sponsored by MWI Animal Health.

Today’s consumers and pet owners demand responsible, sustainable business practices and care deeply about our planet’s health. Research suggests that more than half of pet owners would pay more for veterinary services from a hospital that prioritizes a reduced environmental impact.¹ MWI Animal Health and Cencora (formerly AmerisourceBergen), their parent company, are steadfastly focused on improving sustainability, practice productivity, and staff efficiency in animal health care. Through collaboration with veterinary practice customers, they aim to streamline operations, boost employee satisfaction and improve mental health in the greater veterinary community.

Prioritizing Environmental Sustainability

Steve Shell, MWI Animal Health president, notes the company’s focus on sustainability stems from a direct effort to meet customer needs and cater to pet owner desires. “By prioritizing sustainability, we’re not only responding to the requests of our clients—we’re meeting their needs and boosting their practices’ productivity and profitability,” he said.

Current MWI initiatives include:

• Order consolidation — Packing multiple orders into fewer shipments, which ultimately reduces packaging, time spent receiving and reconciling orders, and delivery related carbon emissions
• Innovative packaging and waste solutions — Using auto-packers to efficiently pack orders in customized cartons that reduce total corrugate used and eliminate packaging waste
• Electric vehicles — Reducing emissions in the U.K. with electric van fleets that they will soon explore for use in the U.S.
• Centralized product stocking — Receiving and stocking products from manufacturers in centralized locations to improve distribution efficiency and reliable supply across all MWI distribution centers
• Returnable totes — Delivering cold chain and ambient orders in reusable and secure containers that eliminate single-use cardboard, plastic, ice pack and styrofoam waste

Real-World Benefits and Results

MWI’s commitment to sustainability efforts distinguishes them from their peers—and produces real-world results. Cencora’s global, environment and social impact team tracks progress and publishes annual reports demonstrating how their small changes produce sizable results. In just 10 months between May 2020 and March 2021 and with strong customer, order, and revenue growth across the network, MWI used 91,515 fewer containers, reducing packaging waste by 19% and using 146,424 fewer pounds of cardboard. These changes saved 1,245 trees and 315,161 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions.²

Aside from such measurable environmental impacts, veterinary practices can see improved workflows and team satisfaction, as well as reduced turnover when they take full advantage of MWI’s sustainable initiatives. Practices can work with their MWI territory manager or representative to identify and try out their options and see first-hand the impact on their day-to-day operations.

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Fewer orders and reduced packaging waste free up team members to have more time with patients, and along with it is a greater sense of positivity and meaningful impact across the immediate and greater environment. Focusing on team member satisfaction, retention, and mental health is crucial during a time when many hospitals are short-staffed.

“For us, sustainability centers on meeting the demands of veterinary practices and helping to minimize impact on the environment, but more critically, impact on the workforce,” said Shell.

Collaboration for Improved Outcomes

Susan Lorenz-Fisher, Cencora senior vice president of global sustainability & ESG integration, works closely with Shell and MWI to identify and implement sustainability solutions. Her team focuses on environmental and social impact, collaborating across the enterprise and directly with customers. “It’s really important to lean into collaboration because our ability to solve complex environmental and social problems is stronger when we work together,” said Lorenz-Fisher.

Direct customer feedback most frequently drives MWI’s sustainability efforts that Lorenz-Fisher and her team develop. “Our collaboration with MWI goes beyond a focus on environmental sustainability. What is equally as important, especially in the veterinary practice space, is social sustainability, specifically geared toward minimizing impact on the veterinary workforce.”

Moving Toward Social Sustainability

Cencora also operates the non-profit Cencora Impact Foundation, which partners with numerous organizations that support human and animal health, including the Not One More Vet (NOMV) organization that focuses on sustainable wellbeing for all veterinary professionals. NOMV works to reduce suicide risk, which is 3.5 times higher in female and 2.1 times higher in male veterinarians than the general population.³ In addition, Cencora contributes to NOMV’s emergency grant program.

Reach out to your local MWI Territory Manager or your inside MWI Customer Engagement Representative to learn how your practice can partner with MWI to reduce your environmental footprint, improve operational efficiency and positively impact team member mental health. MWI and its parent company, Cencora are focused on a more sustainable future and plan to continue expanding their current initiatives in U.S. markets to reach as many veterinary practices as possible. For more information, visit https://www.cencora.com/our-impact/esg.

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