THE 2009 HEALTH AND ECONOMIC CONVERGENCE THINK TANK Conference Report and Strategic Briefs TABLE OF CONTENT EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...........................................................................................................4 THE 2009 HEALTH AND ECONOMIC CONVERGENCE THINK TANK .......................... 4 FOOD AND NUTRITION SECURITY ..................................................................................... 4 CREDIT AND FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT...................................................................... 5 SUSTAINABLE PLACES AND COMMUNITIES .................................................................. 6 HEALTH-PROMOTING WORKPLACES ............................................................................... 7 INTRODUCTION..........................................................................................................................9 BACKGROUND ON THE MCGILL WORLD PLATFORM FOR HEALTH AND ECONOMIC CONVERGENCE ................................................................................................ 9 The Business4Health Compact ............................................................................................... 9 THE THREE-TIER INAUGURAL PROGRAM ..................................................................... 10 THE 2009 CONVERGENCE THINK TANK: HARNESSING THE POWER OF BUSINESS FOR SUSTAINABLE HEALTH AND WEALTH FOR ALL ............................ 10 FOOD AND NUTRITION SECURITY.....................................................................................12 BACKGROUND ...................................................................................................................... 12 KEY DISCUSSION POINTS AND ONGOING INITIATIVES ............................................. 13 WAYS FORWARD .................................................................................................................. 16 REFERENCES ......................................................................................................................... 17 CREDIT AND FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT ....................................................................18 BACKGROUND ...................................................................................................................... 18 KEY DISCUSSION POINTS AND ONGOING INITIATIVES ............................................. 19 Microfinance ......................................................................................................................... 19 Cooperatives ......................................................................................................................... 19 Individual Empowerment...................................................................................................... 20 Community Empowerment and Civil Society ...................................................................... 20 Social Business ..................................................................................................................... 21 Financial Literacy ................................................................................................................. 21 WAYS FORWARD .................................................................................................................. 22 Assessing the impact of credit and financial empowerment and scaling up......................... 22 Lessons for the formal banking system ................................................................................ 23 Credit and financial empowerment on the global agenda ..................................................... 24 REFERENCES ......................................................................................................................... 25 SUSTAINABLE PLACES AND COMMUNITIES ..................................................................27 BACKGROUND ...................................................................................................................... 27 KEY DISCUSSION POINTS AND ONGOING INITIATIVES ............................................. 28 Urban Design and Management ............................................................................................ 28 Transportation and Urbanization .......................................................................................... 29 Water and Sanitation ............................................................................................................. 31 Housing ................................................................................................................................. 32 Access to Food ...................................................................................................................... 33 WAYS FORWARD .................................................................................................................. 34 Building places and communities in the 21st century ........................................................... 34 Addressing the water crises .................................................................................................. 35 Accessing food in the context of urbanization ...................................................................... 35 Scaling up Health Cities and Health Villages....................................................................... 36 Health as a source of competitiveness .................................................................................. 36 REFERENCES ......................................................................................................................... 37 HEALTH-PROMOTING WORK ENVIRONMENTS ...........................................................39 BACKGROUND ...................................................................................................................... 39 KEY DISCUSSION POINTS AND ONGOING INITIATIVES ............................................. 40 Today‟s Global Economy and its Impact on Labour Markets .............................................. 40 Employment Strategies and Conditions in the Developing World ....................................... 42 Welfare and Social Benefits.................................................................................................. 44 Ratings and Standards ........................................................................................................... 45 Government Policies ............................................................................................................. 48 WAYS FORWARD .................................................................................................................. 48 The health of migrant workers .............................................................................................. 48 Standards and ratings ............................................................................................................ 48 Raising the social protection floor ........................................................................................ 49 REFERENCES ......................................................................................................................... 49 APPENDIX 1 ................................................................................................................................51 Top Three Strategic Business and Societal Challenges and Opportunities in Harnessing the Power of Business for Health and Wealth for All .........................................................................51 FOOD AND NUTRITION SECURITY ................................................................................... 51 CREDIT AND FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT.................................................................... 51 SUSTAINABLE PLACES AND COMMUNITIES ................................................................ 52 HEALTH-PROMOTING WORK ENVIRONMENTS ............................................................ 52 APPENDIX 2 ................................................................................................................................53 Convergence Workshop Programs ................................................................................................53 FOOD AND NUTRITION SECURITY ................................................................................... 53 CREDIT AND FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT.................................................................... 54 SUSTAINABLE PLACES AND COMMUNITIES ................................................................ 55 HEALTH-PROMOTING WORK ENVIRONMENTS ............................................................ 57 APPENDIX 3 ................................................................................................................................59 Health and Economic Convergence Think Tank Program ............................................................59 APPENDIX 4 ................................................................................................................................64 Partners and Contributors ..............................................................................................................64 FINANCIAL SUPPORT AND SUBSTANTIVE CONTRIBUTION ..................................... 64 SUBSTANTIVE CONTRIBUTION ........................................................................................ 64 INTERNAL PARTNERS ......................................................................................................... 64 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY THE 2009 HEALTH AND ECONOMIC