Delivering a whole-of-society approach to global health crises

There’s More To Be Done

The USCIB Foundation Business Partner Roundtable Series
The USCIB Foundation developed the Business Partner Roundtables (BPR) to focus on critical global topics to support multisector engagement. These invitation-only virtual discussions encourage business, public and academic leaders to consider approaches to multisector engagement on key global issues. The sessions aim to elicit practical recommendations, resulting in a Topline Action Report.

Business Partner Roundtables: Global Health Crises
Three sessions were held in 2023, each with more than 20 representatives from WHO, CDC, Business at OECD (BIAC), International Organisation of Employers (IOE), health organizations, academia, and the private sector, to share ideas to increase multisectoral collaboration for better response to health crises in the post-COVID19 era.

The objective of the discussions was the build a better understanding of what is meant by a whole-of-society approach post-COVID19, taking stock of lessons learned, including specific ways the business sector can be more fully engaged to address future health crises.

Session Outcomes
The discussions resulted in key insights and actions:

Considerations

• Connect, catalyze, coordinate and convene existing organizations and new stakeholders
• Advance proven systems employed in other emergency responses, including “traffic light” systems that drive prevention, preparedness, and response rates
• Develop public health messages that enhance individual and community trust

Critical Insights

• Facts won’t change minds Build a network of spokespersons that can tell stories, use visuals and speak to the self-interest of individuals
• Focus on the hesitant of skeptical Communications must include social engagement and empathy to reengage the public
• Disinformation is a business Identify how the anti-vax movement is effective to identify opportunities to overcome trust issues and barriers to success
• Multisector engagement is critical Leverage the power of the Business Partner Roundtables attendees and networks to identify working groups and research opportunities to advance a strategy

New Imperatives

• Develop a strategy to reengage the population and rebuild trust to focus on global health threats, including the role of vaccination
• Galvanize key stakeholders, including business. to actively serve as “trusted sources” of information and “welcome messengers”
• Create an Index to provide actionable data and statistics to guide areas of focus and improvement

Topline Action Reports
The Topline Action Reports from all three sessions are available for download and public distribution.

There’s More To Be Done
Our theme, There’s More To Be Done, seeks to galvanize partnerships among all players – governments, multilateral agencies, business, medical and public health professions – to be ready for future pandemics. Given recent shifts in public trust for the important sectors of civil society, it is clear that the private section with engagement of international business can provide unique perspectives.