The COVID-19 pandemic shone a spotlight on the level of health inequity in the US, where access to health care can depend on a person’s zip code, income, insurance, and contacts in the medical profession. This podcast discusses the role that companies – and, specifically, boards of directors – can play in helping to address this problem, which accounts for approximately $320 billion in the US. The discussion makes clear that all companies – not just those in the health sector – can play a role through the health and other benefits they provide to their employees; and that boards can ensure that their companies address health equity as part of their broader strategy to attract, retain, and develop the workforce they need to execute the firm’s strategy.  In this podcast, Paul Washington, Executive Director of the ESG Center, speaks with two experts: Dr. Jay Bhatt, Executive Director of the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions and the Deloitte Health Equity Institute, and Dr. William Payne, a founding member of the Black Directors Health Equity Agenda, a Chicago-area orthopedic surgeon and co-founder of the telehealth platform MyOwnDoctor about health equity. They discuss what it means, why it’s an issue the business community should pay attention to, and the role of the board and C-Suite in driving meaningful progress on this issue.   Related resources:  Equitable Pay and Health Care Top Consumer Wish List for Corporate Social Initiatives (Research report, July 2022) The Role of Corporate Citizenship in Addressing Health Equity (Webcast, April 2022) C-Suite Outlook 2023: On the Edge: Driving Growth and Mitigating Risk Amid Extreme Volatility (January 2023) The US Deloitte Health Equity Institute   US Health Care Can’t Afford Health Inequities