Spotlight on health equity: more than a social issue H i s t o r i c a l l y , h e a l t h e q u i t y h a s b e e n s e e n t h r o u g h t h e l e n s o f t h e s o c i a l p i l l a r o f E S G a n d a s t h e s o l e r e s p o n s i b i l i t y o f h e a l t h - r e l a t e d e n t i t i e s . H o w e v e r , h e a l t h e q u i t y i s d e p e n d e n t o n a b r o a d e c o s y s t e m o f a c t o r s a c r o s s t h e E , S , a n d G a d d r e s s i n g v a r i o u s s o c i a l d e t e r m i n a n t s o f h e a l t h — f r o m e c o n o m i c s t a b i l i t y , e d u c a t i o n , a n d s o c i a l a n d e n v i r o n m e n t a l c o n t e x t t o d i g i t a l a c c e s s , n e i g h b o r h o o d s a n d b u i l t e n v i r o n m e n t s , a n d m o r e . N e w s o l u t i o n s l i e i n t h e a d j a c e n c i e s a n d i n t e r s e c t i o n s b e t w e e n t h e s e s e e m i n g l y u n r e l a t e d a c t o r s . F o c u s i n g o n s h i f t i n g t h e s y s t e m t h r o u g h m o d e r n s o l u t i o n s b u i l t a r o u n d l e a r n i n g w i t h y o u r s t a k e h o l d e r s , d e s i g n i n g w i t h y o u r c o m m u n i t i e s , a n d a c t i n g w i t h y o u r p a r t n e r s p r o v i d e s a f r a m e w o r k f o r a c t i o n t o b u i l d c o m p o u n d i n g m o m e n t u m u n t i l a p o i n t o f b r e a k t h r o u g h , a n d b e y o n d . P r i o r i t i z e p r i v a c y a n d c y b e r s e c u r i t y —Help ensure data privacy and security of critical assets. The protection of critical assets and data is important not only for constituent security but also for maintaining national security generally. As the adage goes, you can have security without privacy, but you can’t have privacy without security. Privacy and cybersecurity will be increasingly critical to help ensure the health and safety of the public. H e l p e n s u r e e q u i t a b l e s e r v i c e d e l i v e r y —Prioritize access, equity, and experience in the delivery of government services. Many social issues impact equity at the community level, including healthcare services, homelessness, access to green space, incarceration, youth investment, and pandemic recovery. Health equity, more specifically, is a critical ESG issue for governments to address, as access to quality healthcare is impacted by social determinants of health and heightened climate events. Environmental, Social, and Governance: Government leadership as a catalyst for success 8 © 2022 KPMG LLP, a Delaware limited liability partnership and a member firm of the KPMG global organization of independent member firms affiliated with KPMG International Limited, a private English company limited by guarantee. All rights reserved.