Global Health Equity Network: A Business Case for Health Equity

The report presents a business case for health equity, asserting that disparities in health lead to significant global economic losses and untapped productivity. It outlines four domains for corporate action: improving workforce health and environment, designing inclusive products, investing in community drivers of health, and ensuring fair labour practices within supply chains. The document highlights that health-equity-focused companies can see improved employee retention, increased market share, and reduced legal risks.

• Health inequities result in substantial economic costs globally, including an estimated 1.4% of the European Union's annual GDP, nearly $3 trillion for the African continent in 2015, and $320 billion annually in the United States.
• Health disparities lead to significant global productivity losses, with an estimated $42 billion in untapped productivity. Specific examples include 164 million work hours lost annually in the US due to oral health issues, and productivity losses of 21.5% for employees with depression and 13% for those with chronic pain.
• Improving the physical workplace environment can yield high economic returns; for instance, enhancing indoor air quality could generate $6,500 in productivity per employee per year, potentially totaling $20 billion in annual economic benefit if rolled out nationally.
• Addressing the racial wage gap in the US could result in an additional $1 trillion in earnings for employees of color, which is linked to improved health outcomes.
• Companies that prioritize health equity in their product design and distribution can achieve better financial performance; one 2021 study found a fund of health-first businesses consistently outperformed the market by 2% annually over 10 years.
• Investing in non-medical drivers of health in local communities can reduce corporate costs and risks. For example, CVS invested $185 million in 2021 to develop 6,570 affordable housing units across 64 cities in 28 US states.
• Failure to maintain a 'license to operate' through community support can lead to material financial losses, as evidenced by one company losing $20 million per week due to community protests over hydrocarbon extraction and environmental health.
• Inequitable practices within a company's ecosystem can create legal liabilities, such as a class-action lawsuit in British Columbia against opioid manufacturers and distributors that resulted in a CAD$150 million settlement.

APA

World Economic Forum (2023). Global Health Equity Network: A Business Case for Health Equity. https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_GHEN_Business_Case_2023.pdf

Chicago

World Economic Forum. Global Health Equity Network: A Business Case for Health Equity. 2023. https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_GHEN_Business_Case_2023.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Economic Forum |title=Global Health Equity Network: A Business Case for Health Equity |date=January 2023 |url=https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_GHEN_Business_Case_2023.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldeconomicforum2023global, author = {{World Economic Forum}}, title = {{Global Health Equity Network: A Business Case for Health Equity}}, institution = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2023}, month = jan, url = {https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_GHEN_Business_Case_2023.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }