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A healthy environment is good for business
The health of our planet and our people are linked. We are already experiencing the fallout from fractures in this symbiotic relationship.
Climate change, pollution and other environmental challenges are no longer undefined threats to our future health. They are already causing disease and deaths here in the UK.
In 2020, a coroner made legal history. They ruled that air pollution contributed to the death of a nine-year-old girl. She had a history of asthma and daily exposure to heavy traffic emissions.1 The real toll is much higher.
Pollution threat
The Government estimates that as many as 36,000 people die every year as a result of man-made pollution in the UK. It is recognised as the single largest threat to public health.2
In England alone, last summer’s heatwaves were responsible for almost 3,000 deaths.3
There are hidden hazards, too. Extreme heat increases deaths in people with cardiovascular, cerebrovascular and respiratory diseases. Heat stress and dehydration are also contributing to the rise in chronic kidney disease.4
Adverse outcomes
Dr Robin Clark, Medical Director of Bupa UK says,
“Globally, it’s estimated that as many as half those who survive extreme weather events will experience adverse mental health outcomes.”5
Climate change and global travel, also increases the risk of new diseases.6 It’s also altering the spread of existing ones such as malaria7 and West Nile Virus.8
It is also changing the patterns of pollen levels and driving up the prevalence of allergies.9 As many of us have noticed this summer.
Anticipating impacts
Dr Clark adds,
“Anticipating and addressing these evolving threats will be essential to minimise their impact on our physical and mental health. But this isn’t simply a health sector issue. Every business will have to become more sustainable in order to minimise these risks and protect the health of our planet and people.
“It’s a daunting challenge, but if we respond and rethink the ways we do business, we can be a force for change. Limiting global warming to 1.5°C would prevent a 10cm rise in sea levels by 2100 and avoid the displacement of 10 million people globally.10
“We would have fewer droughts and significantly reduce the impact of heat stress and vector-borne diseases.”
Sustainability matters to employees
Prioritising sustainability in our organisations is also crucial for employee engagement and retention. Data from the latest Bupa Wellbeing Index demonstrates this. Almost half of the employees who took part (45%) say their motivation at work would increase if they had the opportunity to propose sustainable and eco-friendly initiatives to leadership teams.11
This rises to 56% among Gen Z respondents, who are our future.12
Two in five (42%) employees are prepared to take a pay cut. This is as long as they work in a more ethical or environmentally friendly organisation. And on average they would be prepared to reduce their earnings by 19% to achieve this.13
Almost a third (30%) want to see continuing investment in sustainability initiatives, despite the challenging economic climate.14
Looking ahead, 28% will believe sustainability will become business critical. This is as more Generation Z and Alpha (those born between 2010 and 2025) enter the workforce.15
Wellbeing, naturally
More resilient teams as well as health and wellbeing benefits can be delivered by:
a sharper focus on the environment
encouraging colleagues to spend more time in natural surroundings
Anna Russell, Corporate Responsibility & Sustainability Director of Bupa Global & UK says,
“Creating a sustainable future, and protecting the health of the planet as carefully as we protect our personal health is a huge, and complex, challenge.
“It’s not only the right thing to do and increasingly, our employees, clients and customers will demand that businesses deliver tangible, positive change.
“Every business has an important role to play, and we will all benefit from sharing knowledge, innovative strategies and working together to find solutions.”
Making it work
In the latest Bupa UK Wellbeing Index16 we set out a five step plan that every organisation can use to achieve this:
1. Establish dedicated platforms for staff to share ideas and suggestions for sustainable initiatives. Encourage collaboration and opportunities to exchange ideas.
2. Implement programmes to support people’s health and planet health. Celebrate staff contributions and create a culture that values and incentivises sustainability.
3. Integrate sustainability into employee training and development. Offer ongoing knowledge building and skills. Provide resources and support to encourage employees to make sustainable choices.
4. Embed clear communication forums where staff can provide feedback and suggestions. Actively listen to input and foster a two-way dialogue to ensure people feel heard and valued.
5. Empower colleagues to form task forces or ‘green teams’ to take ownership of projects. Provide these groups with resources, support and access to decision-makers to ensure meaningful change.
Resources and guides
The benefits of volunteering for your team
Explore how volunteering can boost your team’s engagement with their work and improve their health and wellbeing.
Sustainability explained
Learn all about sustainability, from climate change to carbon neutral. You can also discover how sustainability and healthcare work together.
1 Air pollution from road traffic contributed to girl’s death from asthma, coroner concludes, 2020. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m4902
2 GOV.UK, 2022.
3 GOV.UK, 2023.
4 The London School of Economics and Political Science, 2022.
5 Global climate change and mental health, 2020. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2019.06.023
6 Infectious disease in an era of global change, 2021. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41579-021-00639-z
7 Malaria No More, date unknown.
8 Climate change and allergic diseases: An overview, 2022. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/falgy.2022.964987
9 The Royal Society (PDF, 1.6MB), 2018.
10 Bupa (PDF, 1.6MB), 2023.
11 Bupa, date unknown.
12 Bupa, 2023.
13 Bupa, 2023.
14 Bupa (PDF, 1.6MB), 2023.
15 Bupa (PDF, 1.6MB), 2023.
16 Bupa (PDF, 1.6MB), 2023.
