XLVets Ireland: Embedding Sustainability Across a National Veterinary Network

Supporting Practical Environmental Action in the Veterinary Sector

XLVets Ireland is a member-owned veterinary group representing independently owned practices across the country. With sustainability becoming an increasingly important consideration for healthcare organisations, XLVets has taken a proactive approach to reducing environmental impact while continuing to deliver high-quality veterinary care.

Through its partnership with EcoMerit, XLVets Ireland has been working to better understand, measure, and improve our environmental performance in a structured and practical way.

A Sector-Wide Approach to Sustainability

Unlike a single-site organisation, XLVets operates as a network of practices, each with its own buildings, energy usage, transport requirements, and operational challenges. This makes sustainability a shared responsibility, and an opportunity to drive collective impact.

Sustainability strategy focuses on:

  • Raising awareness across our member practices
  • Providing guidance and resources that can be applied locally
  • Encouraging consistent, measurable improvements across the network

By embedding sustainability into day-to-day decision-making, XLVets is helping practices make progress at a pace that is realistic and achievable.

Carbon Footprint

Down 52%

Improvement Actions Identified

29

Improvement Actions Completed

22

(All progress figures independently verified by EcoMerit.)

Key Areas of Environmental Focus

Working with EcoMerit, XLVets Ireland has concentrated on several priority areas that are particularly relevant to the veterinary sector:

  • Energy & Resource Efficiency:
    Practices are encouraged to reduce energy consumption through practical measures such as improved lighting, equipment efficiency, and better energy management – delivering both environmental and cost benefits.
  • Waste Reduction & Recycling:
    Veterinary practices generate a range of waste streams. XLVets promotes improved segregation, recycling, and responsible disposal practices to minimise landfill and environmental impact.
  • Sustainable Procurement:
    Where possible, practices are supported in making more environmentally responsible purchasing decisions – considering durability, lifecycle impact, and supplier sustainability credentials.
  • Staff Engagement & Awareness:
    Sustainability initiatives are most effective when supported by staff. XLVets places emphasis on education, communication, and shared responsibility across our member practices.

Understanding XLVets Ireland’s Carbon Footprint

A key part of XLVets Ireland’s sustainability approach is gaining a clear understanding of our carbon footprint and how emissions change over time. Measuring emissions provides a factual baseline and allows progress to be tracked year on year.

The carbon footprint data below illustrates how emissions are monitored across the organisation and how performance trends are evolving. This information supports informed decision-making and helps identify areas where further reductions can be achieved.

XLVets Ireland - Annual CO2 Emissions
XLVets Ireland - Annual Energy Carbon Footprint

Tracking emissions in this way is essential for any organisation seeking to take credible climate action. It ensures that sustainability initiatives are guided by evidence rather than assumptions, and that improvements can be independently reviewed and verified.

Through EcoMerit’s structured framework, this data can be used to:

  • Assess environmental performance over time
  • Identify priority areas for carbon reduction
  • Support long-term planning and realistic target setting

This focus on measurement underpins a commitment to responsible, transparent environmental management across our veterinary network.

Supporting Long-Term Change in Veterinary Care

Sustainability in healthcare is not about quick fixes. For XLVets Ireland, it is about long-term cultural change, supporting practices as we gradually reduce our environmental impact while continuing to serve our communities.

By working with EcoMerit, XLVets is helping to normalise sustainability within the veterinary profession – showing that environmental responsibility can sit comfortably alongside clinical excellence and commercial viability.

Looking Ahead

XLVets Ireland remains committed to developing its sustainability programme over time. As environmental standards, technologies, and expectations evolve, the organisation continues to work with EcoMerit to identify new opportunities for improvement and shared learning across our network.

This partnership reflects a growing recognition within the veterinary sector that sustainability is not just an environmental issue, but a professional responsibility.

Proud Member of the EcoMerit Community

EcoMerit supports organisations across Ireland in taking practical, independently verified steps toward improved environmental performance. XLVets Ireland’s engagement demonstrates how sector-wide collaboration can drive meaningful progress.