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Vitality Commission flags $300bn health savings for US business

Chris Wolf · 19 June 2014 · Leave a Comment

For the past year, my friend Will Rosenzweig has served as Chairman of a U.S. national commission focused on health promotion and the prevention of chronic illness. The Vitality Institute’s Commission on Health Promotion and the Prevention of Chronic Diseases in Working-Age Adults has developed evidence linking the health of our nation’s workforce to the long-term competitiveness of our national economy. The recommendations were developed by a diverse group of thought leaders from the fields of public health, public policy, academia and business. Forbes has reported on the findings in an article about potential $300B cost savings opportunity for U.S. corporations.

William-Rosenzweig-2

Will Rosenzweig (photo courtesy of Vitality Institute)

Key recommendations from the report include:

Require corporations to integrate health metrics into their annual reporting by 2025
Secure commitments from more than 50 percent of Fortune 500 companies to include workforce health as part of their organizational strategy by 2020
Increase federal government funding for prevention science research by at least 10 percent by 2017 and create a federal agency to fund efforts that support health and prevention

Additionally, to guide business leaders and policy makers, the report contains nearly 50 examples of chronic disease prevention programs that have been adopted by corporations, local governments and even the US military and are successfully increasing the availability of nutritious food, leading to the development of healthy products and promoting exercise.

Interface

John Elkington · 22 November 2013 · Leave a Comment

Deep dive into Mission Zero

Carpet spectrum Bobbins I’m squatter in tanker reflection Into the Awarehouse Welcomed Reflected in the Net Effect ceiling Shadowed Natural inspiration Doors

Amy (Birchall) and I flew across to Amsterdam on Wednesday evening, walking to the Mercure hotel in Amersfoort in pouring rain and a considerable wind, to spend a couple of days with Interface at their Scherpenzeel site. Fascinating interviews, from C-Suite to shopfloor, for a project we’re doing for the company on which more anon. Key focus on progress with Mission Zero. Then a delayed flight back to Heathrow.

It’s a sign – and Amy Door covered with Lapland moss/lichen, which is alive Filmed by Ben and Paul of Limehouse

A Day of Justice and Zero Tolerance

John Elkington · 19 November 2013 · Leave a Comment

New blitz to slow death toll among London cyclists

I finally got my day in court today, when the motorist who left me unconscious after knocking me off my cycle in Berwick Street in March came to trial at the Magistrates’ Court in Queen Victoria Street.

Interesting that the case coincided with the beginning of which might just be a new era in the up-and-down story of London cycling. I picked up this evening’s Evening Standard because of the front page, with its blaring headline: ‘POLICE BLITZ TO COMBAT CYCLE CARNAGE.’ This after six cyclists were killed in less that two weeks this month. The police are promising “zero tolerance” in their crack-down on dangerous road users, including cyclists.

One unexpected delight today was to meet the young woman who had been the only English witness of my head-over-heeling, and had turned up to give evidence – even though her sister had just given birth this morning. She turned out to be involved in the world of social entrepreneurship, too, which meant we had much to talk about beyond road safety.

The end result was that the motorist was found guilty on all charges, was fined and had six points put on his licence, which means that he will be banned until he does his driving test again. In the circumstances, I thought that was a fair outcome. He lied repeatedly under oath, which undermined any sympathy I might have felt for my erstwhile nemesis, though I confess that thoughts of restorative justice had nagged at me as the Magistrates retired to consider their verdict.

Then back to the office to work on speeches for our Breakthrough sessions in Berlin and Pottsdam next week – and a smart grids session in Belgium the following week. But first, tomorrow, its off to Holland for a couple of days with carpet-makers Interface, interviewing many of the people who have been involved in their Mission Zero.

Monday, Monday

John Elkington · 18 November 2013 · Leave a Comment

London Stock Exchange and then Sustainable Brands

Before opening the Exchange: Toby Heaps, photographer, Mark Makepeace, Paul Avery

Went first thing to the London Stock Exchange, for launch of CK Capital’s latest benchmarking survey of stock exchanges in relation to corporate sustainability disclosures. Corporate Knights co-founder and President Toby Heaps was joined by Mark Makepeace (Chief Executive of the FTSE Group) and Paul Avery (Head of Investments, Aviva Investors).

The actual opening of the Exchange was a little less dramatic than I had expected, with a photographer taking lots of photograps of the guests clapping on a balcony overlooking a large blue ball representing the trading. Felt slightly weird, but it may have been symbolic in some wider way.

Then on to Sustainable Brands conference to do a plenary session with Marie-Claire Daveu of Kering, on sustainability as a driver of brand innovation. Then back to Bloomsbury Place to begin the working day.

Blood, Gore & Slaughter

John Elkington · 15 November 2013 · Leave a Comment

Generation Investment Management’s CEO Sustainability Summit

David Blood opens the event John Kao and piano Stairwell at St Pancras Hotel Ditto Jochen Zeitz in sustainable consumption session Ditto And ditto again Al Gore and Sir Jony Ive in the last session

A quite remarkably interesting couple of days with Generation, kicking off with a dinner at the Natural History Museum’s Darwin Centre last night, where, among many other conversations, I had a great catch-up with Bill McDonough.

Then today across early to the St Pancras Hotel for the CEO Sustainability Summit proper. For more on Generation’s latest thinking, including on how stranded asset risks should be incorporated in financial analysis, see here.

Can’t go into detail, but a real privilege to be involved in these two events — and I particularly enjoyed two of the plenary sessions today, one with John Kao (who did a brilliant session on creativity and who I would meet later) and Apple’s wizzard designer Sir Jony Ive. I asked Sir Jony a question in the final session about supply chain issues – and found his answer persuasive.

Great to spend some time, too, with Jochen (Zeitz). The book is coming along.

Thrilled to be told by Josh Tetrick of Hampton Creek Foods that my writing had an influence on his move into the field years ago. I had read about their work on egg substitutes in Wired or Fast Company, and was thrilled to learn a bit more about what they are doing. Also, with his permission, brought back a couple of jars of Sriracha Mayo, which among other things is Vegan, Gluten-free, Egg-free, Cholesterol-free, Soy-free and Lactose-free. And yet, I’m told, is delicious. The taste of sustainability. Can’t wait.

(Initially posted this blog without explaining the title. David Blood, in his introduction to the event, mentioned that in addition to the Blood and Gore surnames of the founders, there had been — I imagine playful – thought of adding in someone with the surname Slaughter. But, sensibly, they stuck with Generation.)

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