Top Takeaways from Adtalem’s Sustainability Report

Key ways that the leading provider of healthcare education in the U.S. is “Nurturing Change.”

Imagine a world where there is a larger and more diverse pool of aspiring clinicians with access to healthcare careers, and these professionals better reflect the diversity of the communities they serve. What if that pipeline of practice-ready professionals continues to expand?

This is President and CEO Steve Beard’s call to action in Adtalem’s 2024 sustainability report, Nurturing Change.

The success of our students and graduates has convinced us that we are perfectly positioned to help shape the future of healthcare and education, dismantle the barriers to access, empower lifelong learners, and create more and better opportunities, and better health, for all.

Adtalem is Expanding Healthcare’s Workforce Pipeline

In the 2023-2024 academic year, Adtalem and its institutions—Chamberlain University, Walden University, Ross University School of Medicine, American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine, and Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine—granted nearly 28,000 healthcare degrees and certificates. These graduates joined the ranks of over 350,000 alumni.

And more aspiring healthcare providers are on the way; approximately 83,000 students are enrolled at one of Adtalem’s institutions. Through these enrollment figures, Adtalem is the leading provider of healthcare education in the United States.

Per the American College of Healthcare Executives’ annual survey, help is significantly needed to address current and impending shortages for nursing, physicians, veterinarians, and behavioral health professionals. This chart from the sustainability report demonstrates the demand needed to be met and how Adtalem is impacting these fields.

Adtalem is Strengthening its Governance

During fiscal year 2024, Adtalem launched two new sustainability initiatives. The formation of a diversity, equity, and inclusion council serves as the governing body and co-creator for a company-wide DEI strategy. The council’s intent is to deliver a top-down, bottom-up approach by incorporating the voice and input of colleagues and engaging senior leadership to advocate and drive meaningful action.

The sustainability working group was also relaunched to integrate best practices for sustainability into Adtalem’s business operations. Earlier this year, the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment used by capital market stakeholders to benchmark corporate performance revealed Adtalem ranked at or above the 90th percentile in seven areas, including Adtalem’s business ethics, brand perception, and cybersecurity.

See highlights from the 2023 S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment.

Adtalem is Championing Global Sustainability Efforts

New to the 2024 report are appendices that expand on how Adtalem’s sustainability initiatives align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) and the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB).

The UN SDGs are a set of 17 globally critical topics, such as No Poverty, Zero Hunger, Quality Education, Gender Equality, Decent Work and Economic Growth, and Climate Action, that the UN adopted with its member states in 2015. The SDGs are a call to action to countries, organizations and individuals to act on “a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future.”

Among the 17 topics are five SDGs that guide Adtalem as it implements programs and efforts that drive positive impact.

• Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.
• Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.
• Promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all.
• Reduce inequality within and among countries.
• Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.

Download the full 2024 report—Nurturing Change.

For more information, email the Adtalem Global Communications Team: adtalemmedia@adtalem.com.

²Based on data from the AACN Nursing Shortage Fact Sheet - May 2024.
³AAMC Report from March 2024: The Complexities of Physician Supply and Demand: Projections from 2021-2036.
⁴Data for U.S. pet healthcare market. Mars Veterinary Health & Animal Health Economics, LLC, “Tackling Veterinary Professional Shortage," August 2023.
⁵Based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
⁶Based on reported number of graduates in most recent class from AAVMC member veterinary institutions. American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges, "2022-2023 Institutional Data Report," December 2022.
⁷Walden University, based on 2022 completion data.