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The Global Wellness Summit (GWS), the annual gathering of international leaders in the US$4.2 trillion global wellness economy, has announced that purpose in corporate culture will be a key conference topic for its 13th edition in Hong Kong.

Being staged from 15th to 17th October at the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong, some of the world’s top corporate strategy consultants, announced as Summit keynote speakers, will explore how a new focus on purpose is the very future of wellness at work and how purpose-driven companies attract and retain the best employees and are far more profitable and productive.

Patricia Dwyer, founder and director of The Purpose Business, a Hong Kong-based network of experts that help businesses across Asia be a force for good (and a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader), will keynote on how to create a purpose-driven organisation.

John Wood, founder of Room to Read, which brings education to 16.8 million children, and who is a sought-after advisor on ‘connecting purpose and profitability’ for companies, including Credit Suisse, Facebook, Netflix and Nike, will speak on purpose-driven companies and fast-changing corporate cultures.

With a 2019 theme of ‘Shaping the Business of Wellness: Asia’, the Summit agenda is packed with speakers who will address emerging business and wellness trends.

Commenting on his address, Wood advised “I believe that a strong sense of purpose is the key to wellness in the workplace. The age-old model of simply grinding out profits, in order to make rich people richer, no longer excites your potential customers or employees.

“When we as leaders can prove that our companies embrace both purpose and profitability, that’s when we will build truly great companies - and we will also be using the power of capitalism to make the world a better place.”

The Proof for ‘Purpose’
A growing mountain of evidence indicates that purpose at work has an extraordinary impact on company success. Deloitte research finds that ‘mission-driven’ companies have 30% higher levels of innovation and 40% higher levels of retention; purpose-driven companies have been shown to drive an annual return on equity of 13.1% (9% higher than the S&P); a BetterUp study estimates that meaningful work drives an extra US$9,000 per worker per year. Modern employees - especially millennials- increasingly choose meaning over money. For instance, PwC research finds that 88 percent of millennials seek a company whose values reflect their own.

Another growing body of research shows that having a purpose in life has a profound impact on people’s health: It’s strongly tied to longevity (15% lower risk of death) while boosting a host of health indicators, including mental wellness and preventative self-care.

As well as hosting the event, global hospitality company Hyatt is a major sponsor of the Summit, with GWS Chairman and Chief Executive, Susie Ellis stating “in recent years, Hyatt has positioned itself as a true leader in holistic wellness for both its innovative and ever-evolving offerings that make guest’s wellbeing a priority as well as its commitment to workplace policies that are improving the lives of the people who serve them

The Global Wellness Summit is an invitation-only international gathering that brings together leaders and visionaries to positively shape the future of the wellness economy.

Click here for more information on the Global Wellness Summit in the Australasian Leisure Management industry Calendar.

Images: Grand Hyatt Hong Kong.

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