In June, Shared Value Project Founding Member AIA Australia hosted the AIA Vitality 4490 Summit in Sydney, to address the biggest threat to our nation – the poor lifestyle choices that lead to 90 per cent of deaths in Australia.
Headlined by Tennis Icon, Entrepreneur and Olympian Venus Williams, the Summit brought together an expert line-up of international and local industry leaders across the health and wellness sector to discuss ways in which the financial services industry can collaborate to find innovative solutions that drive better health outcomes within businesses and communities.
Damien Mu, CEO of AIA Australia and New Zealand, said the financial services industry has a vital role to play in promoting the prevention and early intervention of health-related illnesses affecting Australia.
“The Summit brought together industry leaders and hundreds of employees from across the financial services industry to address “4490” – which stands for the four lifestyle choices diet, exercise, alcohol consumption and smoking, that lead to the four major non-communicable diseases in Australia,” said Mr Mu.
“It’s time for all Australians to follow that innate desire to make a difference and live healthier lives – we are in this together. Business can help solve this societal issue by creating connections, sharing information and building relationships that will enable us to tackle health challenges holistically. To provide further education in this space and to aim to leave behind a great legacy for future generations to follow, is how our journey can start. By uniting to champion this cause we can lead Australia to be one of the healthiest nations in the world.”
As part of the focus on prevention and early intervention, AIA Australia has launched a movement to build a healthier and happier Australia through #onechange, which calls on Australians to embark on one change towards leading a healthier and happier lifestyle aligned to the key pillars Move Well, Think Well, Plan Well and Eat Well.
Keynote speaker, Venus Williams, demonstrated her support for AIA Australia’s #onechange campaign, sharing with delegates her own fitness and wellness tips that have helped her to stay at the top of her game, both on and off the court.
Williams illustrated the importance of how making one change, big or small, can lead to a healthier lifestyle, keeping your mind and body active for the future.
“It’s about finding a balance and living the life you want to live. But it’s important to build a community around you, with your family and friends who can join you and support you through the journey,” said Williams.
“The biggest and smallest challenges can be the mental ones, so it’s about standing tall whether you are at your best or not. Breaking these challenges into digestible pieces for your mind to process is so powerful to helping you achieve your best and reach the next level.”
The Summit also featured insights from Amy McDonough, SVP of Strategy and Operation Fitbit Health Solutions, Barry Swartzberg CEO Vitality Group – Group Executive Director of Discovery Limited, Professor Stephen Jan, George Institute for Global Health and AIA Vitality Ambassadors, Shane Crawford, Chris Judd, Alisa Camplin and James Colquhoun.
Key areas discussed included the growing industry of corporate wellness, the importance of having a mentally healthy workplace and innovation in product and service design to drive behaviour change.
Shared Value Project Executive Director Helen Steel also participated during the Summit, facilitating an insightful conversation with Barry Swartzberg. Helen and Barry discussed designing products that drive behavioural change, where Barry highlighted the fact that individual behavior is irrational and the reason for the Vitality wellness program was to provide a behavioural solution to the under-consumption of wellness.