From cold spray to walking aids – pharmacies and medical supply stores supply over 3.3 million customers every day. The focus is on social impact: ensuring medical care for the population, advising patients effectively and helping them with affordable health solutions regardless of income. Even though the industry’s ecological footprint is comparatively small, the connection between the climate crisis and health is becoming increasingly clear.

One lever is resource-saving energy consumption, be it through green electricity, energy-efficient devices or paperless accounting. Efficient warehousing and smart disposal management are more crucial. QMS processes help on the transformative path when it comes to the procurement of sustainably produced raw materials for recipes, the disposal of medical waste and more intelligent ordering and delivery systems in contact with wholesalers.

Sustainably operating opticians rely on natural materials and support the craftsmanship in regional manufacturers, medical supply stores rely on sustainable procurement, long durability and environmentally friendly materials when producing custom-made aids. Prevention and digital solutions for cheaper, more effective care are becoming increasingly important in order to further improve the social impact on customers.

The industry includes, for example, pharmacies and specialist retail stores for medical supplies, orthopedic aids and nursing aids, as well as opticians and online providers of medical and orthopedic items for private end consumers. Medical practices and alternative practitioners are assigned to the “health care” industry and cosmetic studios are assigned to the “personal services” industry.