Global Health Corporate Champions: Diversity to Address Global Health Challenges
Washington, DC, April 26, 2016 /3BL Media/ - Building markets, optimizing supply chains, leveraging information technology, innovating financial models, forging partnerships and developing policy—these were the topics of a recent conference in Washington, D.C. But it wasn’t at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. It was at the United States Institute of Peace, the site for the inaugural Financing and Innovation in Global Health Conference.
“More than anything, this conference highlights an important and growing trend that we are seeing in Global Health,” said Laura Asiala, Vice President of Public Affairs & Communications at PYXERA Global. “The expertise of business, finance, and operations professionals are as important to improving good health outcomes as medical technology.”
The growing recognition of the importance of pulling such skills into underserved markets has prompted the Global Health Fellows Program II (GHFPII), a USAID program designed to further develop and diversify the global health workforce, to seek new ways to pull in such expertise, including opening opportunities for more companies to place highly skilled employees, pro bono, into short term assignments in those markets.
This includes piloting a multi-company cohort, known as The Global Health Corporate Champions. Nine professionals from three multinational companies from manufacturing, finance, and consulting services, will depart for their first assignment in Accra, Ghana in early June to work on specific projects with three local health-focused organizations over the course of the month.
“We’re very pleased with the response to this pilot opportunity, especially the diversity of expertise,” said Sharon Rudy, Ph.D., Director of GHFPII which is implemented by the Public Health Institute. “This is a way that companies can contribute their most valuable resources — their people — to make a difference in global health.”
“Global Pro Bono, also known as International Corporate Volunteerism, is not new. PYXERA Global has worked with a number of companies, including IBM, SAP, Dow, and Medtronic, to implement this kind of practice, but GHFPII has allowed us to open this opportunity to more companies through a multi-company cohort,” said Deirdre White, CEO, PYXERA Global. “In addition, it provides a very practical, tangible way to demonstrate the power of partnership across public, private, and social sectors, even at the individual project level.”
Global pro bono programs are clear demonstrations of Corporate Social Responsibility and a Shared Value approach to markets, with a triple win. Program participants gain an extraordinary, accelerated professional development experience; local clients gain an infusion of talent and experience to meet critical needs which would otherwise be unmet, and sponsoring companies gain authentic reputations for social responsibility, insights into new markets, and employees with honed global leadership skills.
For more information, see the Global Health Corporate Champions website.
About PYXERA Global
@PYXERAGlobal
For more than 25 years, PYXERA Global has leveraged the unique strengths of corporations, governments, social sector organizations, educational institutions, and individuals to enhance the abilities of people and communities to solve complex problems and attain mutually beneficial goals.
The PYXERA Global team is passionate and dedicated to navigating challenges and pinpointing purposeful global engagement opportunities for its clients and partners. Initiatives include a wide range of services from local content development to global pro bono programs and integrated community development efforts that transform lives and livelihoods.
About the Global Health Fellows Program II
(@GHFPII)
The Global Health Fellows Program II (GHFPII) is implemented for USAID by the Public Health Institute and its partners Global Health Corps, GlobeMed, Management Systems International, and PYXERA Global. The program helps USAID address its immediate and emerging human capital needs that support and sustain the effectiveness of USAID’s current and future health programs. As new health challenges emerge and complex global initiatives are created to meet them, the ability to respond effectively is crucial. The vision of GHFP-II is to diversify the global health workforce with technically excellent and culturally competent experts. The program recruits, places, and supports health professionals at all levels through fellowships and internships with USAID’s Global Health bureau. PYXERA Global works to link corporate expertise into USAID’s strategy to create new synergies to address complex global health challenges.
Contact: Katie Levey
Director of Media Relations, PYXERA Global
klevey@pyxeraglobal.org
917.593.1989
