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, 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, 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 does this look like in practice? 

In practical terms, 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: 

Figure 1: Priority areas to improve environmental sustainability within anaesthesiology and intensive care (not all the priorities listed in Figure 1 are discussed in the ESAIC Glasgow Declaration on Sustainability in Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care 

On top of  

• 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 

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, 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. 

Authors  

• Prof. Mark Coburn – ESAIC Research Committee Chair 
• Dr. D Nuala Lucas – ESAIC Research Committee member 
• Prof. Georgia Tsaousi – ESAIC Research Committee member 
• Prof. Carolyn Weiniger – ESAIC Research Committee member 
• On behalf the ESAIC Research Committee 

For more information please contact: research@esaic.org