Adaptation Chairman Shows Business Leaders How Innovative Strategies Could Improve World Health

Peterborough, United Kingdom, July 26, 2010 --(PR.com)-- Strategies which benefit the environment can also improve people’s health according to transformation specialist, Colin Coulson-Thomas. Speaking in London to the Global Summit on Sustainability he will show how doctors and their patients can be helped to take decisions that can both save people’s lives and help to save the planet.

According to Coulson-Thomas, “We have a historic opportunity to transform our prospects and the quality of our lives. With a shift of focus from treatment to prevention and the transfer of budgets and responsibilities to doctors and patients, a new generation of tools can make people more aware of the health and environmental implications of their lifestyle choices.”

Speaking on the subject of “Innovative Business Strategies and the Challenge of Global Health,” Coulson-Thomas believes “Global health and healthcare represents a huge opportunity for enterprises and communities to benefit from innovative business strategies. Changes to lifestyle can further the sustainability agenda and contribute to improved health. Less burning of fossil fuels and reduced pollution means fewer people with respiratory problems.”

Coulson-Thomas will show how sustainable approaches reduce pressure upon the environment and improve health outcomes: “In relation to diet, lower consumption of beef would reduce the dangers to health caused by excessive consumption of saturated animal fats, and the emission of greenhouse gases from cattle would fall if fewer cows were reared. There are endless opportunities to develop offerings that would help to save the planet and enable people to live longer and healthier lives.”

“There are many viable alternatives to current patterns of working and living. People today have more options in terms of where, when, how and with whom to work, learn, earn and consume than any generation in history. For example, teleconferencing can be less disruptive and harmful than travel to a physical meeting.”

Coulson-Thomas feels “Business and social entrepreneurs to introduce new possibilities for living healthier, and less stressful and more sustainable lives. Living more simply and slowly could be less costly and more fulfilling. It might benefit health and be good for businesses and the planet.”

The intelligent home and smart metering create opportunities for better monitoring, for example enabling older people to remain active in their own homes, with warning signs such as an absence of power consumption for activities such as breakfast triggering a visit or call to check that the individual concerned is up and well.

Coulson-Thomas feels: “Caring for people at home creates opportunities for industries from construction to information technology. A more distributed and sustainable pattern of living has consequences for transportation, the utilities and services such as refuse collection and disposal. Companies that do not adjust and embrace new opportunities may go to the wall, while others that reinvent themselves will prosper, support healthier living and protect the environment.”

Help is at hand. With new and cost effective support tools that could cost no more than a cup of tea per doctor or nurse, Coulson-Thomas points out: “Practitioners can help patients to increase their understanding of their own health and devise options for improving it and adopting a healthier lifestyle. Healthcare and environmental issues and options can be explained. Tools could enable patients to make better decisions about their lifestyle and care.”

Colin Coulson-Thomas, an active consultant and member of the business school team at the University of Greenwich, has re-engineered healthcare processes, and been the process vision holder of complex transformation projects. He was the world’s first Professor of Corporate Transformation, and has helped over 100 organisations to improve director, board and corporate performance, and spoken at over 200 national and international events in 40 countries. He can be contacted via www.coulson-thomas.com and recent publications based upon his work can be obtained from www.policypublications.com.

The Global Summit on Sustainability is organised by the World Council for Corporate Governance in association with India’s Institute of Directors, Centre for Social Responsibility. It is being held at the National Liberal Club in London. The inaugural address will be given by Dr. Supachai Panitchpakdi, Secretary-General of UNCTD.

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