November 16, 2024: UN Global Compact Network India (UN GCNI) and PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI – A Business Association), in collaboration with Ethosphere, jointly organized the 2nd edition of the webinar on Responsible Business Conduct in Healthcare themed “Implementing Responsible Business Conduct in Healthcare—Tools and Strategies for Promoting Transparency and Accountability in Healthcare” on Thursday, 14 November 2024. The primary objective of the webinar was to foster a deeper understanding of ethical and responsible practices within the healthcare sector, emphasizing transparency, accountability, and sustainability. The event brought together experts from various fields to share their insights on how healthcare organizations can implement responsible business conduct.
Mr. Jitender Rana, Deputy Secretary, PHDCCI opened the session with a warm welcome address, expressing his gratitude to all the speakers and participants for joining the webinar. He provided a brief overview of the event’s objectives, emphasizing the need for responsible business conduct in healthcare. Mr. Rana set the stage for the discussions by introducing the topic and outlining the relevance of ethical practices in ensuring patient trust and healthcare integrity.
Dr. Somnath Singh, Deputy Director, UN Global Compact Network India, the moderator for the session, provided a brief overview of the webinar’s objectives and its relevance to healthcare and other potential sectors. He emphasized that the discussion would explore how healthcare organizations can integrate responsible business conduct into their daily operations. His leadership in moderating the panel discussion ensured that each speaker’s insights were effectively communicated to the audience, setting the tone for a constructive dialogue.
The panel discussion included valuable insights from all the speakers. Dr. Jayesh Lele, Former General Secretary, of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) discussed the core responsibilities of healthcare institutions, particularly in ensuring patient safety and ethical care. He elaborated on steps healthcare organizations can take to uphold transparency and accountability in their operations. Mr. Ashok Pavadia, Founder and Director Council for Research on Policy and Governance, shared his expertise on CSR and sustainability practices, offering guidelines for healthcare organizations to align with corporate governance standards and improve long-term accountability. Mr. Mukesh Kumar Sharma, Executive Director, of Population Services International (India), spoke about the challenges healthcare organizations face when expanding services in urban and rural settings and provided strategies for maintaining ethical practices at scale. Ms. Raavi Birbal, Advocate, Supreme Court of India, highlighted the legal and ethical considerations healthcare providers must prioritize, such as patient rights and data privacy. She also shared her experiences in navigating healthcare compliance issues.
Ms. Jyoti Shekar, Partner, Ethosphere and Anti-Corruption Collective Action (ACCA) Working Group Member, UN GCNI, delivered the concluding remarks and the vote of thanks. She expressed her appreciation for the valuable contributions of all the speakers and extended her gratitude to the participants for their engagement. Ms. Jyoti acknowledged the relevance of the topic and the importance of continuing the conversation on responsible business conduct in healthcare. She concluded the session with a call to action for the audience to implement the insights shared during the webinar.
The webinar saw a strong turnout, with a diverse audience comprising professionals from various sectors of healthcare, legal, and business. Over 150 participants attended the session, and the response was overwhelmingly positive. Attendees appreciated the depth of knowledge shared by the speakers and expressed interest in further discussions on implementing responsible business conduct in their respective organizations. The engagement throughout the session was high, and the feedback from participants reflected the event’s success in fostering meaningful dialogue on the topic.
