Healthy City Design Congress Voices: Health equity as a foundation for economic growth and investment

As countries strive for growth, placing health and health equity at the front and centre of social and economic policy and investment is increasingly at the heart of national and municipal government strategies, in recognition that rising economic inactivity, lower productivity, and less innovation and creativity is being driven by declining population health and widening health inequalities.

In this highlights video from last year’s 2024 HCD Congress in Liverpool, some of the world’s leading experts from policy, research, investment and practice, provide insights on how investing in an urban landscape, infrastructure and regeneration programmes that promote health and sustainable development can accelerate economic growth and build greater social cohesion.

We hear from HCD’s expert voices, including HCD co-founder, Prof Jeremy Myerson, HCD advisor, Max Farrell, and Legal & General’s Pete Gladwell on the critical role of both real estate and impact investment in addressing poor health in our communities and reducing the health inequities that are marginalising large sections of society to the edges of economic opportunity.

Organised by SALUS Global Knowledge Exchange and the Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design, Royal College of Art, in collaboration with Impact on Urban Health and Cities & Health Journal, Healthy City Design 2025 (HCD 2025) International Congress & Exhibition is a global forum for the exchange of knowledge on the research, policy, investment and practice of designing healthy and sustainable cities and communities. This year’s congress will be held at the Lowry, MediaCity in Salford, Greater Manchester, from 14-15^th October.