Global Wellness Summit 2023: Day Three

Global Wellness Summit Day 1
Global Wellness Summit Day 2

Leaving the World Better Than We Found It: Lessons from a Small Country
Sophie Howe, Global Wellbeing Advisor, Sophie Howe Associates, United Kingdom

Our future generations need to be happy, healthy, and connected with nature. If we’re not thinking about planetary health and climate change, we cannot consider the population’s health. Biodiversity loss and species loss will become a reality in the coming years. With people living longer, how will our healthcare systems manage those with ill health? Will older people be able to prosper? Radical decisions are needed for future generations to access healthcare, as it will be saturated with the older generations.

As AI surges ahead, it’s clear that the investment going into AI far outweighs the investment going into studying the ethics behind the use of AI.

From cells to cities, interventions to bring in nature and encourage, even prescribe, physical activity can all promote wellness and longevity. For example, doctors in Wales are empowered to prescribe a bike if someone will benefit from physical activity.

Wellness Diplomacy: A World in Need
Deborah Birx, MD, Chief Medical & Science Advisor, ActivePure, United States

Governments and academic facilities aren’t always very good at listening, but listening is the key to change. Deborah worked to change the face of HIV across Africa. By studying focus groups and putting women at the center of the conversation, this key demographic that was being overlooked could finally be reached. Now the HIV pandemic in sub-Saharan Africa is finally under control. Starting with education and keeping young women in school, providing them with supplies is one of the most important things in the lives of young women due to the community support they receive. Annulling child marriages and bringing these girls back into schools is possible.

Once you give a young woman her voice and empower her, her voice will never be lost. These young women growing up with the program were the ones intervening and helping other young women at risk or subjected to physical and sexual violence.

AI + Wellbeing: The Transformative Work of The Chopra Foundation
Poonacha Machaiah, CEO, The Chopra Foundation, United States

Poonacha started by chanting a mantra, an ancient practice used to focus and ground the mind. ‘Never alone’ a project using AI tech connects people with someone else ‘like them’, helping them improve their mental wellness by facilitating connections.

Life is a team sport, so let’s all ask; Who am I? What do I want? What is my purpose? What am I grateful for? A digital wellness personal companion developed by the Chopra Foundation can identify needs and desires. Cyber Human can advise on lifestyle, behaviors, supplements, and diet, reading data from blood panels, heart rate, heart rate variability, cortisol levels, etc. Behind this technology, Poonacha sees love in action, with four pillars: attention, appreciation, affection, and acceptance.

Transforming Hospitality
Moderated by Mia Kyricos, President & Chief Love Officer (CEO), Kyricos & Associates, United States

Panelists
TJ Abrams, VP, Global Wellbeing Experiences, Hyatt Hotels, United States
TJ states that guests need something different these days to be healthy, happy and fulfilled. Acquisitions such as Miraval and collaborations with companies such as Headspace facilitate a lifestyle of well-being.

Emlyn Brown, Global VP of Wellbeing, Accor, France
Brands are responding to the moving desires of guests, specifically via nutrition, movement, and wellness. At the lower end, there is also a huge demand for wellness. The ideas and implementation start at the high end, but filter down to the lower end.

Catherine Flint, Senior Director, Global Brand Management, Marriott International
Everyone wants to be in the wellness space, which makes it harder, but identifying what each brand is, and is not, is key. Westin is premium, but not luxury, the amenities and services need to function for the team and guests. Partnerships allow the rollout of new initiatives and experiences without overloading hotel staff by adding tasks to their responsibilities.

Amanda Al-Masri, VP of Wellness, Hilton, United States
The challenge has been that the full weight of the organization was not behind wellness in the last 10-20 years, they now are. From now on, the basics across all hotels will include prioritizing wellness and sleep quality of guests. Guests still want wellness, even in the lower-end brands.

The Beauty Industry in Transformation
Moderated by Irene Forte, CEO, Irene Forte Skincare, United Kingdom

Panelists
Oriele Frank, Co-Founder, Chief Product & Sustainability Officer, Elemis, United Kingdom
Profit sits alongside products and people and is necessary to re-invest in product development. The pandemic allowed time to focus on new goals, like bringing sustainability to the forefront, testing plant-based packaging, air freight bans and ensuring all staff receive a living wage.

Rupert Schmid, Co-Chairman & Co-President, Biologique Recherche, France
Beauty is part of our world, it’s a way of communication. Fast cosmetics are looking for quick sales, established brands have decades of experience and aim to be thriving in decades to come.

Tim Waller, Dr. Babor GmbH & Co. KG, Germany
Touch has the power to treat and prevent certain diseases. Lack of touch as an infant creates issues later in life. Reducing carbon is a corporate strategy considering the lifecycle of each product, mitigating and offsetting consumption and waste. Babor has a plan to reformulate all products by 2025, removing all traces of microplastics, and ensuring they don’t enter the skin.

Taking Care of the Future: The Wellbeing of Our Children
Moderated by Christine Clinton, Founder, Wellness for Life, United States
We have a unique opportunity to affect change and use wellness modalities to help children cope with modern-day life and disconnect from their technology.

Participants
Sophie Howe, Global Wellbeing Advisor, Sophie Howe Associates, United Kingdom
Babies experienced developmental delays as an effect of Covid due to lack of social interaction and interaction with extended family like grandparents.

Amy McDonald, Owner & CEO, Under a Tree Consultancy, United States
Being able to tap into wellness tools like gratitude and mindfulness helps us stay grounded as parents. Teenagers are struggling all over the world, with many experiencing challenges with mental wellness. There is an opportunity for family wellness resorts to connect families, even offering family retreats. Lowering the age limit for spas allows teenagers to benefit from wellness services.

Freddie Moross, Founder, Myndstream, United Kingdom
As a new parent, Freddie wants to ensure his daughter feels supported and taken care of, music allows them to connect and play as they sit at the piano together most nights.