New partnership brings sustainability as a central focus to BSAVA congress 2025

Vet Sustain were delighted to be invited to BSAVA congress, hosted in Manchester on 20-22nd March 2025, to deliver a sustainability mini-series raising awareness of some of the most pressing sustainability challenges facing the veterinary profession as well as delivering top tips on implementing sustainable schemes within clinical practice.

A broad range of topics were discussed to include sustainability accreditation schemes such as Investors in the Environment, B Corp and RCVS Practice Standards Scheme; sustainability in the operating theatre focusing on volatile anaesthetic gas capture and re-usable surgical tools and equipment; how to build a green team centering on motivating behavioural change; and risk-based prescribing exploring the ecotoxicity of pet parasiticides and greener health plans.

Photo 1: The 'Accreditation Schemes and What They Mean' Panel (L-R Camilla Sherwin from Investors in the Environment, Caroline Collins from Pennard Vets, Sue Paterson from RCVS, with Vet Sustain panel Chair Laura Binnie).

Across the 4 panel discussions Vet Sustain drew upon its network of volunteers, working group members, regulatory bodies, supporters and partners to bring together key experts to share their lived sustainability experiences, delve into cutting edge research and technology, and signpost sustainability resources and tools to help those wanting to champion sustainability within their own practice setting.

Photo 2: The 'Sustainability in the Operating Theatre' Panel (L-R panelists Matt Gopal from SageTech, Cat Curtis from Pets At Home/Vets4Pets, Nicole Dyer from Ash Tree Vets, with Vet Sustain panel Chair Becky Sedman)

Photo 3: The 'Rethinking Risk: Safe, Smart and Sustainable Prescribing' Panel (L-R Panelists Andrew Prentis from Grantham Institute, Imperial College, Rose Perkins from University of Sussex and Francine Fernandez from VMD)

Vet Sustain’s Directors, Jen Gale, who was part of the Building a Green Team panel session said that ‘The Future Zone’ at BSAVA was a hive of activity this year. All four panel discussions were really well attended and we had some fantastic questions from the floor that brought great discussion around the chosen sustainability topics. The sessions highlighted to me just how many people within our profession have sustainability at their heart and how important Vet Sustain is for bringing people together to share knowledge, expertise, and build a network so we can tackle the complex sustainability challenges facing our profession together’.

Photo 5: The 'Building a Green Team' Panel (L-R Emma Cathcart from VDS, Sarah Heath from IVC Evidensia, Helen Gould from Old Hall Vets, with Vet Sustain panel Chair Jen Gale)

Photo 6: Justine Shotton, Chair of the 'Rethinking Risk: Safe, Smart and Sustainable Prescribing' Panel

Vet Sustain hopes that this partnership will continue for future congresses, enabling and inspiring our veterinary profession to champion sustainability and use their sphere’s of influence to work towards a more sustainable future for all.

For those interested in learning more about the sustainable changes that you can make in small animal practice take a look at our ‘A Sustainable Approach to Clinical Veterinary Practice’ CPD course: https://learn.vetsustain.org/p...