SDG #3 - Good Health and Well Being
SDG #3 - Good Health and Well-being as the foundations of a healthy society
In February, the United Nations’ focus is on Health and Well-Being – an SDG towards which we made tremendous progress in the last decades, but one seriously challenged by the Covid-19 pandemic.
As we know too well by now, poor health and diseases can bring the economy and our routines to a halt, uprooting the lives of millions. The isolation and uncertainty of the last two years have also brought about a mental health epidemic. For our society to prosper, and for our economy to remain dynamic, we need healthy and happy people to keep everything moving. Therefore, we must ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all, at all ages, and everywhere. Without it, our systems are proven to be nothing but empty shells.
Over the last two decades, childhood deaths have been cut in half and maternal mortality decreased significantly, whilst life expectancy increased. The Covid-19 outbreak halted this progress, decreasing life expectancy in many countries and causing serious disruptions to health services worldwide. Most countries, -especially low- and middle-income ones - have insufficient healthcare systems and often very restricted access to treatment and medicines. Even in more prosperous countries such as the UK, the pandemic tested our resources, with NHS and key workers being pushed to their limits. Many people’s livelihoods, especially in the service sector were threatened and many in low paid occupations had no choice but to work under dangerous conditions risking infection and spreading the virus.
February’s Sustainable Development Goal - SDG#3 Ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages
SDG#3 is extensive in its targets, signalling that health and well-being being are the cornerstone of a strong society and economy on a global scale. From stopping the fatalities of treatable communicable diseases, improving access to HIV treatment, as well as universal healthcare and affordable vaccines in lower income countries through to ending fatalities related to alcohol and substance abuse, this month is all about overarching health and well-being. Some might seem less relevant to us in the UK, but as we learned recently, global health impacts us all. On top of that, we all have a battle to fight with isolation-induced mental health difficulties, and staying on top of our fast-paced, stressful lifestyles.
When it comes to health, starting with looking after ourselves and our immediate surroundings is vital. Just like on a plane – if you do not put your own oxygen mask on first, you cannot help others fasten it. Make sure to look after your physical, as well as mental health and ensure your loved ones are doing well too. Then, as a leader, look after your employees. According to the UN, immunisation is one of the most effective ways to fight many communicable diseases. Get vaccinated and encourage and educate your employees to do the same. To take this a step further, concentrate on the community you operate in. In the age of social media, it has never been so easy to let your customers know what you stand for, and advocate for good causes such as immunisation and good health.
To institutionalise your mission, revisit your Health and Safety (H+S) Policy. If your business consists of over 5 employees, you are legally obliged to have a H+S Policy but it can be all too easy to treat such a document as a box to tick, rather than an opportunity to engage with your workforce. This month, make your H+S Policy proactive, and revise it in light of homeworking, generally reduced physical activity during the winter months, and the mental health impacts of isolation. We have you covered with our guide on how to effectively do this.
Then, as a holistic extension of the formal policy, it is time to introduce a mental health and well-being awareness initiative for your employees. We spend a significant portion of our adult lives at the workplace, and so it is important that people feel confident, comfortable, and part of a community. Beyond training and achieving targets, put an emphasis on team building too. An open, friendly culture that evokes a sense of belonging will not only make everyone feel better but indirectly, enhance your efficiency. Happier employees equal a happier business.
We all also have a responsibility to look outside our organisation too. Remembering that heath care is a global concern has been proven abundantly given the scale and volume of disruptions brought about by the COVID19 pandemic. It impacts us all, both as individuals and as businesses. From employees through to supply chains, the communities we operate in, and our customers, it is our collective responsibility to invest in a strong society if we want it to sustain our strong, fast-paced economy. As a business, you are in a position to advocate for equal access to health services globally, and you can keep your government accountable for their promises on funding global health projects. GBCHealth is an organisation bringing together businesses, NGOs, the non-profit sector, and governments to keep each other in checks and balances, monitor the global health situation, and further positive advancements in global health. No matter how small, you can join like-minded enterprises to further the cause of equal, and mainstream access to healthcare services, treatment, and vaccines. ‘Improving the health of private sector supply chains, customers and global workforces isn’t just right. It’s bottom-line thinking.’ – assert GBCHealth. Not to mention the positive business implications of improved global health – expanded profit margins, reduced risks, and more productive workforce.
Lastly, the most straightforward, yet often omitted option – supporting a Goal#3 Charity. For every SDG, the UN recommends donating to a relevant non-profit as a way of getting involved. However, it is known that volunteering and helping others is good for our own well-being, why not involve your workforce in your support of SDG#3? Organise an in-house competition where everyone can recommend a goal-relevant charity. Partner up with the winning organisation, and if feasible, organise a volunteering day. As mentioned in last month’s blog on SDG#1 No Poverty, a volunteer-day-out is a great teambuilding activity, while also a way to support Agenda 2030. Attend a collective charity walk in support of a non-communicable disease of your team’s choice. Make it a tradition and you might just be running a half-marathon together in two years.
As the UK seems to slowly leave restrictions behind, we must not forget the devastation everyone suffered, the sacrifice front-line workers made, and the fact that other places are far from out of the woods. Until everyone is safe, no one is safe. We must ramp up support for recovery and help elsewhere. Look out for others, support your employees, democratise vaccines, knowledge, and resources – it is not an extra thing to do, it is the bottom line.
Our guide to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals gives you the complete list of the goals along with their importance and long term strategy.
As well as our monthly blog explaining the UN’s chosen SDG for that month, we also have plenty of advice on how to ensure the wellbeing of your staff and employees including our guide to workplace wellbeing and 5 tips for a burnout-proof workplace.