Why a focus on health can be good for business

Companies are increasingly focusing on health, wellness, and sustainability—not just because it’s the right thing to do, but because it’s good for business, according to two Harvard experts.

In a May 6, 2019 Q&A in Harvard Business School’s Working Knowledge, Howard Koh, Harvey V. Fineberg Professor of the Practice of Public Health Leadership, and Amy Edmondson of Harvard Business School said that many people, particularly millennials, are increasingly willing to pay more for sustainable goods, are motivated by a product’s health and wellness benefits, and factor a company’s social value into their purchasing decisions. Employees may also be more engaged and productive at companies that emphasize benefits such as flexible working hours and maternal and paternal leave.

Advancing a well-being agenda can help a company build long-term value over and above short-term profits, Koh and Edmondson said.

Read the Working Knowledge article: Consumers Blame Business for Global Health Problems. Can Business Become the Solution?

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