Health for People and Planet?

It is a big claim for a small company. Here is what it actually looks like in practice.

Samanea Innovation supports the Sustainable Development Goals. The content of this publication has not been approved by the United Nations and does not reflect the views of the United Nations or its officials or Member States.

Health for people and planet is Samanea Innovation's ultimate goal - and it is a fair question to ask what that means in practice. Not as a vision statement, but as day-to-day work. To explain, I orient myself on the United Nations' 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Below are the four SDGs that shape Samanea's work.

SDG 3: Good Health and Wellbeing

Health for people: At its core, MedTech is a health mission. Every product that earns market approval, whether a surgical tool or a digital health solution, exists to improve patient health and wellbeing.

A clear regulatory strategy and a well-established QMS ensure that safe and effective innovations reach patients sooner. Many of the start-ups I work with take that mission a step further: focusing on prevention, rehabilitation, healthy ageing or mental health.

SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

Health for people and planet: In MedTech we are constantly evaluating the risk for the patients and users compared to the clinical benefits. Single-use devices exist for a reason. However, that does not mean sustainability should be an afterthought. Choice of materials, packaging design, sterilisation methods and end-of-life pathways all have environmental implications, and attention from end-consumers, hospitals and regulators is steadily increasing. The growing volume of waste in hospitals is prompting discussions and regulators place greater emphasis on the recovery of critical raw materials. 

If you haven’t watched the video highlighting the waste associated with a single breast reconstruction, I encourage you to do so now: watch here I support medtech companies in embedding sustainability into their products and processes from the outset. Not as a separate workstream, but as an integral part of the design logic and aligned with the regulatory pathway. Integrating sustainability early prevents costly redesigns further down the line.

SDG 14: Life Below Water

Health for planet: The medical industry is one of the largest producers of single-use plastic. Acknowledging that impact and taking responsibility for reducing it matters to me personally. While much of the plastic used in healthcare is carefully managed and does not end up in the marine environment, it remains part of a global dependence on disposable plastics and the environmental challenges that come with it.   As a member of 1% for the Planet, I donate a portion of Samanea's annual revenue to certified environmental projects focused on removing plastic waste and ghost nets from the oceans. This is not intended to offset the impact of medical plastics, nor is it a substitute for the work I do. Rather, it reflects a broader commitment to tackling plastic pollution wherever it occurs and contributing to practical, measurable environmental solutions.

SDG 15: Life on Land

Health for people and planet: Biodiversity loss and human health are not separate issues; they are deeply intertwined. Healthy ecosystems regulate climate, purify water, and limit the spread of zoonotic disease. They are the foundation of human health. For this reason, and simply because I love nature, I also support biodiversity projects in Switzerland and internationally.

The four SDGs are not a complete answer. They are a starting point and a commitment. Behind them is a broader vision: to fund biodiversity protection, to push for more sustainable design in medtech, and to build a community of people in this industry who believe in health for people and planet.

My company is named after the Samanea saman. A tree that enriches everything around it simply by being what it is. That is the model. Let's see how the tree grows. 

*** As a start-up coach in MedTech and with expertise in regulatory affairs and circular economy, I’m frequently asked the same questions. So, I'm turning the most common ones into a series of posts. 

What’s your burning question at the moment? Let me know... it might become the next post!