The green office revolution.

The rise of flextime.

Purpose-driven work.

Healthy food options at fast-food restaurants.

Corporate America has been slowly discarding the norms that for too long have trapped a large percentage of the population—and members of its own work force—in unhealthy patterns of work and in life. These are patterns that can tax one’s immune system, and contribute to stress, physical and mental illness, even untimely death.

There have been great strides—with LEED and WELL; with flextime; and even with the intentional eating movement, thanks to brands like Territory Foods, to round out corporate wellness programs that have focused, traditionally, on physical fitness alone.

These efforts are necessary; but they were not enough even before the coronavirus pandemic. To minimize and better manage the socioeconomic impact of the next novel disease which, experts say, may be right around the corner, we must adopt a more holistic approach to what the UN refers to as healthy sustainable development; and redouble efforts to achieve what we define as Holistic Preventive Design. And achieve it at scale.

Naturally, this demands systemic change, but one that creates new conditions to incentivize primary actors within the system to change. If we want meaningful and lasting change, the actors must desire change themselves.

That means changing norms.