Healthy people, healthy business
The COVID-19 pandemic has placed health and wellbeing at the forefront of the global agenda, revealing an urgent need to strengthen health systems, build capacity and prepare for future emergencies. The pandemic has also underlined inequalities, raising significant questions around access to healthcare and healthy lifestyles for the most vulnerable in our societies. Meanwhile, environmental disruptions such as the climate crisis and nature loss, are compounding health concerns. Against this backdrop, the Healthy People, Healthy Business project explores how businesses can play a pivotal role in supporting the long-term promotion of health and wellbeing for everyone.
The challenge
The world is falling critically short of many of the Sustainable Development Goals’ health-related targets, from the delivery of universal health coverage to ambitions to end epidemics such as AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis and to reduce premature mortality from non-communicable diseases by 2030. COVID-19 has thrown much progress even further off track. The global burden of disease continues to rise, be it from chronic and infectious diseases, malnutrition and poor mental health, making it ever more challenging to provide appropriate care.
The business case
Poor health represents a burden not only to those who suffer directly, but also to the economy at large. The business case for supporting health and wellbeing is undeniable. By recognizing and working to improve their impacts on health and wellbeing among their own employees and across global value chains, businesses can help to foster and benefit from a more robust economy and marketplace, a healthier, happier and more productive workforce, and more resilient supply chains.
The solution
The Healthy People, Healthy Business project is a cross-sectoral coalition to explore how businesses across a wide range of sectors can play a pivotal role in developing and driving the uptake of solutions to global health challenges, supporting long-term disease prevention and health promotion. Specifically, this includes to explore and identify solutions for businesses to:
- Embed a culture of health and wellbeing at the workplace
- Support healthy consumer lifestyles
- Build more resilient and accessible health systems
- Accelerate climate, nature and equity action informed by planetary health science
Publication
31 Oct 2022
Healthy People, Healthy Business: How business can contribute to realizing global health
Publication
24 Jun 2022
Health and Wellbeing 2030: Exploring the scope of the corporate health footprint
SDG Impact
WBCSD’s Healthy People, Healthy Business project seeks to mobilize business action in support of the realization of SDG 3 around health and wellbeing, while also supporting workplaces that prioritize the physical and mental health of workers around the world.
Contacts
Uta Jungermann
Director, Member Engagement & Global Network & Member of the Extended Leadership Group