Health is a fundamental human right and a key indicator of sustainable development. Poor health threatens the rights of children to education, limits economic opportunities for men and women due to lower productivity rate and increases poverty within communities and countries around the world. 

Notable progress has been made, but significant challenges remain. Women around the world continue to lack access to sexual and reproductive health care; thousands of new cases of HIV/AIDS continue to occur each day, billions of people are left without access to essential medicines, millions of adults and children will suffer from undernourishment this year, and the global amount of waste is estimated to triple in the coming year, with severe effects on health Further, with an increase in economic integration, mobility and political instability new health challenges and risks are emerging, threatening livelihoods.

In order to accelerate progress and address new health challenges, all actors, including the private sector need to partner to develop healthcare solutions that work for people, families, communities and nations. Every business has a responsibility to respect all human rights, including the right to health. Small, medium and large companies can both benefit from and contribute to achieving healthy societies. The SDGs provide a new opportunity for the private sector to support the delivery of health needs around the world through their products, services and business activities including value chains and distribution networks, communication activities, occupational health and safety practices and provision of employee benefits. By ensuring that workers have safe working conditions and are provided with Health Insurance; access to health services, companies establish healthier staff and better relationships which in many cases has positive effects on productivity.

Below are some non-exhaustive examples of how Workplaces can be more health conscious: 

• Align human resources policies with principles of human rights, including policies for HIV/AIDS. Use already existing resources for guidance (e.g. from the ILO, WHO, etc.).
• Partner with health care NGOs and public clinics to raise awareness and increase access to targeted health services for women and men workers and their families.
• Make investments in health a priority in business operations.
• Facilitate and invest in affordable medicine and health care for low-income populations.
• Leverage corporate resources (e.g. R&D, distribution, cold chains) to support health care delivery by public and international organizations.
• Provide Health Insurance for employees, etc. 

If workplaces incorporate this, more progress would be made towards the attainment of SDG 3.