Healthcare and Life Sciences

Core to societies and individuals around the globe, the healthcare and life sciences system faces immense challenges in the coming decades. From providing universal access to affordable healthcare and reducing health inequality within and between countries, to combatting climate change and its effect on health and disease.

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Business action is aligned with the SDGs, but the level of ambition must be raised

At 75 per cent, healthcare and life sciences has the lowest percentage of all systems taking action on the SDGs. One of the main problems identified relates to translating the SDGs into business strategy and practices and having  clear business-relevant metrics.


Products and services supporting the SDGs

Target setting relating to the SDGs is strong within this system, but the system falls behind others for developing products and services to support the SDGs.

Social issue commitment varies

Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being, scores highly across all areas, as it reflects this system’s core purpose.  It is surprising that for this critical SDG, recognition of the challenge and a vision for transition by "all" or "most" of the system only stand at 66 per cent and 70 per cent respectively.


Sustainable transition needs 

The SDGs are about making the world a better place, something that is at the foundation of healthcare and life sciences. The system needs to refocus on a vision to deliver Goal 3 and ways of measuring impact and address material environmental issues and sustainable production. Multi-stakeholder collaboration, scaling of digital solutions and science-informed metrics are key levers for the transition.