Case study: Health Care Symposium
“We aim to inspire each other in order to increase our commitment and expertise by stimulating an open dialogue.”
Stefaan van der Borght Director Health Affairs
Heineken International, the Netherlands
Heineken Health Care Symposium
What is the nature of the relationship between corporations and (non) government organisations when it comes to health care? How do we shape public-private partnerships in this context? These were just a few of the questions addressed at the inaugural Health Care Symposium organised by Heineken International on 3 October 2007 in Amsterdam. Keynote speakers included, amongst others, His Excellency Bert Koenders, Minister for Development and Cooperation in the Netherlands, Dr Peter Piot, UNAIDS Executive Director, Under Secretary-General of the United Nations and Prof. Joep Lange, Executive Director, Center for Poverty-related Communicable Diseases.
The purpose of the symposium was to highlight and examine the ongoing debate about the role of businesses and the private sector in the provision and support of health care services. Multinational corporations are under increasing pressure to assist in the provision of health care services, with many companies beginning to redefine the limits of their own responsibilities. Heineken has been a pioneer in this area since the early 1980s, working and partnering with a range of aid organisations. The Company’s main concern is to safeguard the health of employees, rather than organising public national health care, which is primarily the responsibility of governments. Yet companies do accept additional responsibilities in those countries where primary public health care is insufficient and if this has an impact on employee performance.
More than 150 invited prominent guests attended the symposium, including foreign dignitaries, academics, medical practitioners and representatives of other multinational corporations. The event set ground for an inspiring debate on the many aspects of opportunities and limitations of health care in resource-poor settings. See also www.symposium.heineken.com.