This Greener Allied Health Professional Week, the SoR is sharing the story of its monthly member digital publication Synergy, which transitioned from print magazine to an interactive digital platform in pursuit of a more sustainable approach.
Greener AHP Week, taking place from 20 April to 25 April, is an opportunity for members of the Allied Health Professional (AHP) community to share their sustainability journeys, learn about instituting green initiatives in their Trusts, and celebrate achievements in improving sustainability.
One such achievement the SoR is sharing is its transition from a physical print magazine to an entirely digital publication with Synergyin 2023.
'A significant contribution'
Synergy, the SoR’s monthly digital magazine exclusively for members, celebrates and supports members in all aspects of their professional lives. Its current digital platform was initially trialled with the Imaging & Oncology journal in 2022.
That same year, the SoR printed and shipped over 8 million pages of Synergy content, which had a significant impact on the environment. Since May of 2023, however, the magazine has been available entirely online.
Richard Evans, CEO of the SoR, said: “The decision to move to a fully digital format for Synergy was taken after a lot of careful thought and discussion with UK Council. We had had some correspondence from SoR members over a few years in which points were made about unjustified cost and the environmental impact of maintaining a paper format. However, any membership organisation will need to take account of other potential impacts when considering changing a major member benefit.”
'A key driver'
This transition formed an important part of the SoR's commitment to becoming a sustainable organisation.
Richard added: “Thanks to some excellent leadership from UK Council, the environmental benefits of going digital were seen as a key driver, alongside the developments to Synergy itself, which would be facilitated in a fully digital format. We communicated carefully and extensively about the change, and I am glad to say that digital Synergy has been very well received by our members and is recognised for its high quality across our sector.
“Of course, it is just a part of what the SoR is doing to become environmentally sustainable, but I am proud to say that the digital Synergy project is a significant contribution.”
The latest edition of the magazine can be accessed online here.
Greener AHP Week sees webinars and educational materials delivered to Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) across England in line with the AHPs Strategy for England 2022-2027.
The strategy states that action from AHPs is “crucial” in reaching the NHS’s goal of net zero emissions for the care it provides by 2040.
AHPs across England are encouraged to take advantage of the resources uploaded on the Greener AHP Forum - National AHP Virtual Hub - Futures. Registration is required to view this content.