Foreword
West & Central Africa Health Options Ltd/GTE (WCAHealth) was established as an independent, nationally owned and led organisation to advance sustainable, locally driven development in Nigeria and across West and Central Africa. Our roots draw on over three decades of experience in health systems strengthening cultivated by Options Consultancy Services Ltd. (Options), our founding partner, which worked across more than 60 countries to improve the health and wellbeing of women, adolescents, and children.
As a locally governed African organisation, we recognise that climate change is not a distant or abstract risk – it is an immediate, lived reality for the communities we serve. Erratic rainfall, rising temperatures, vector-borne disease expansion, and climate-induced food and water insecurity directly undermine the health systems we work to strengthen. Environmental sustainability is therefore inseparable from our development mission.
In this Climate Commitment, we affirm WCAHealth’s determination to operate sustainably, reduce our environmental footprint, and embed climate resilience into every programme we deliver. We build on the strong environmental stewardship legacy of Options while re-grounding our approach in the African context – aligning with the African Union’s Agenda 2063, the Paris Agreement, and national climate strategies across the region.
Our Commitment
WCAHealth is committed to achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions from our direct operations and, where we have influence, from our programme delivery activities. We will do this in a manner that is responsible, transparent, and grounded in the realities of operating in West and Central Africa. We will achieve this by:
- Measuring, managing, and progressively reducing the carbon footprint of our operations.
- Embedding climate resilience and environmental sustainability in all health programmes we design and deliver.
- Building staff capacity and institutional knowledge on sustainable practices.
- Engaging partners, suppliers, and donors in shared sustainability goals.
- Reporting transparently on our environmental performance and progress each year.
Our African Context
WCAHealth operates at the intersection of health systems and climate change in one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable regions. Sub-Saharan Africa contributes a small fraction of global greenhouse gas emissions yet bears a disproportionate burden of climate-related health impacts, including the spread of malaria, cholera, and respiratory disease, as well as malnutrition from drought and flood related agricultural disruption. Our climate commitment is shaped by this context. It is not enough for us to minimise our own operational footprint; we must also use our technical expertise to help governments, communities, and health systems adapt to, and where possible mitigate, the health consequences of climate change. This dual responsibility – internal sustainability and external climate action – defines our approach. Our work aligns with the African Union’s Agenda 2063 vision of “a prosperous Africa based on inclusive growth and sustainable development” and with the health-climate commitments embedded in national development plans across Nigeria and the wider region.
Building on Options' Legacy
WCAHealth was established by Options Consultancy Services Ltd. as part of a deliberate transition toward locally led development. Options operated for over 30 years as a global health consultancy and published its first Carbon Reduction Plan in 2023, establishing a 2022 baseline footprint of 85.51 tCO2e for its UK operations, with a commitment to reach net zero by 2050.
Options identified business travel – particularly international air travel – as its single largest source of emissions at 63% of total Scope 3 output. It implemented a range of reduction measures including remote collaboration tools, hybrid working policies, online training delivery, and sustainable travel guidance. WCAHealth inherits and deepens these commitments, adapting them for an African operating context where digital infrastructure, travel patterns, and energy systems differ significantly from the UK.
Key principles carried forward from Options’ approach include:
- Accurate baseline measurement and annual reporting of greenhouse gas emissions.
- Prioritising virtual collaboration to reduce travel-related emissions.
- Supporting staff with remote-working tools and guidance.
- Integrating sustainability criteria into procurement and supplier engagement.
- Exploring carbon credit and offsetting schemes appropriate to our ethical and environmental
values.
Climate Action in Our Programmes
WCAHealth occupies a unique position at the nexus of climate change and health systems in Africa. Our programmes address reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health (RMNCAH); health financing; and health system governance. Climate change intersects with all of these.
- Climate-Resilient Health Systems:
We will work with governments and national health authorities to design health infrastructure, supply chains, and service delivery models that are resilient to climate shocks. This includes integrating climate risk assessments into health sector planning and advocating for dedicated climate-health financing. - Renewable Energy in Health Facilities
Unreliable electricity is one of the greatest barriers to quality health service delivery in our region. We will support the adoption of solar and other renewable energy solutions in health facilities, drawing on emerging best practice and leveraging Options’ pioneering work in sustainable energy for health. - Climate-Sensitive Disease Surveillance
We will support the strengthening of health information and surveillance systems to monitor climate-sensitive diseases, enabling governments to mount timely, data-driven responses to emerging climate-health threats. - Community-Level Adaptation
Working alongside civil society and community health workers, we will integrate climateadaptation messaging and behaviour change communication into community health programmes, particularly in areas vulnerable to drought, flooding, and food insecurity.
Our Operational Sustainability Commitments
To minimise the environmental footprint of our own operations, WCAHealth commits to the following:
Travel and Mobility
- Prioritise virtual meetings and remote collaboration tools to reduce the need for travel.
- Where travel is necessary, prefer lower-carbon options including rail and shared transport.
- Develop a sustainable travel policy that reflects the infrastructure realities of our operating
environment. - Track and report all business travel emissions annually.
Office and Energy
- Where we have control over our office space, seek energy-efficient premises and pursue renewable energy options.
- Adopt digital-first document and records management to reduce paper consumption.
- Implement waste reduction, recycling, and responsible disposal policies in all office locations.
Procurement and Supply Chain
- Give preference to local suppliers to reduce transportation-related emissions and support local economic development.
- Engage third-party suppliers on their own environmental practices and carbon reduction plans before contracting.
- Consolidate purchasing where possible to reduce the frequency and carbon intensity of deliveries.
Staff and Culture
- Provide all staff with regular training and resources on environmental sustainability and climate action.
- Integrate environmental responsibility into our organisational values, staff induction, and performance frameworks.
- Build a culture in which every team member understands their role in achieving our climate goals.
Monitoring and Reporting
Transparency and accountability are central to our climate commitment. WCAHealth will:
- Establish a greenhouse gas emissions baseline for our operations in 2025.
- Report on Scope 1, 2, and relevant Scope 3 emissions annually, in line with the GHG Protocol Corporate Standard.
- Develop an Environmental Strategy Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Framework adapted for our African context.
- Publish annual progress reports on our website and share these with donors, partners, and stakeholders.
- Explore alignment with internationally recognised environmental management standards, such as ISO 14001.
- Review and, where appropriate, revise our targets to reflect evolving science, frameworks, and operational growth.
Policy and Framework Alignment
WCAHealth’s Climate Commitment is aligned with the following frameworks and commitments:
- Paris Agreement (2015) – long-term goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C above preindustrial levels.
- African Union Agenda 2063 – commitment to a prosperous, sustainable, and climate-resilient Africa.
- United Nations Sustainable Development Goals – in particular SDG 3 (Good Health), SDG 7
(Clean Energy), SDG 13 (Climate Action), and SDG 17 (Partnerships). - Nigeria’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement and the National Climate Change Action Plan.
- The Global Roadmap for Health System Sustainability (WHO, 2023).
Declaration and Sign-Off
This Climate Commitment has been developed in accordance with WCAHealth’s organisational values of sustainability, local leadership, and accountability. It reflects our determination to be a responsible actor in the communities and health systems we serve.
WCAHealth will monitor progress against the commitments set out in this document, publish annual
updates, and revise targets as our organisation grows and as the evidence base evolves.
