Newsletter
Towards more inclusive and sustainable research at ESAIC - Integrating Sustainability and DEI into ESAIC Grants
The European Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care (ESAIC) is taking an important step forward in redefining how research grants are evaluated. Beyond scientific rigour alone, new efforts are underway to ensure that sustainability and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) are firmly embedded within research funding and assessment processes.
The rationale for this change
Healthcare research reaches far beyond the clinical setting. Its impact extends to the environment and broader societal well-being. In fields such as anaesthesiology and intensive care, where clinical innovation often requires significant resources and disparities in care persist, there is a growing responsibility to act thoughtfully.
By integrating sustainability and DEI into grant assessment, the ESAIC aims to promote responsible research practices that consider environmental impact and ensure inclusive, representative science.
A new approach to grant assessment
One of the challenges identified by the ESAIC Research Committee is that both applicants and reviewers can struggle to understand how to meaningfully address sustainability and DEI in grant proposals.
To address this, a structured yet flexible framework is being introduced that combines guidance, training and revised evaluation criteria.
A narrative approach with traffic-light indicator
In addition to relying on robust scoring systems, the ESAIC proposes a more thoughtful, context-sensitive evaluation.
Applicants will provide short narrative statements, explaining:
- How DEI considerations are reflected in their research team and study design
- How environmental sustainability has been incorporated into the project
These narratives will be assessed using a simple flagging system:
- Green – strong, meaningful engagement
- Amber – partial consideration with room for improvement
- Red – not addressed
Projects that fail to adequately address both sustainability and DEI will not progress beyond the evaluation process.
What this looks like in practice
In practical terms, the ESAIC’s approach builds on its existing declarations, notably the ESAIC Glasgow Declaration on Sustainability in Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care and the Mellin-Olsen Declaration on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. These frameworks provide a foundation for applicants to reflect on how their research can contribute to more sustainable and inclusive healthcare.
For sustainability, in line with the Glasgow Declaration, applicants are encouraged to consider the first three scopes:
On top of this:
- Reducing travel through virtual collaboration where possible
- Minimising waste and resource use throughout the project lifecycle
- Designing protocols with long-term environmental and clinical impact in mind
For DEI, guided by the principles of the Mellin-Olsen Declaration, examples include:
- Diversity – ensuring representation across backgrounds, identities and experiences
- Equity – addressing barriers to provide fair opportunities for all
- Inclusion – fostering environments where everyone feels valued and able to contribute
It also aligns with broader goals such as improving geographical equity – ensuring that researchers from less-resourced regions have fair opportunities to participate and succeed.
A pragmatic and inclusive vision
The ESAIC recognises that sustainability and DEI are complex and context dependent. The aim is not to create a checklist or penalise researchers, but to encourage reflection, transparency and continuous improvement.
Evaluation will therefore focus on how well each proposal engages with relevant challenges within its own context, considering project scale and available resources.
Ultimately, this initiative is about shaping a research culture that values not only scientific excellence but also inclusivity, responsibility and long-term impact.
By embedding sustainability and DEI into funding decisions, the ESAIC is helping to ensure that research in anaesthesiology and intensive care contributes to a more equitable and sustainable future – for both patients and society.
For more information please contact research@esaic.org.
Authors: Prof Mark Coburn
Research Committee Chair – European Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care
Dr D Nuala Lucas
Research Committee member – European Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care
Prof Georgia Tsaousi
Research Committee member – European Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care
Prof Carolyn Weiniger
Research Committee member – European Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care
On behalf of the ESAIC Research Committee
Related ESAIC content
New ESAIC consensus document on sustainable intensive care
ESAIC Sustainability Toolkit (PDF)
