title: Corporate America and community health: exploring the business case for investment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The principal aim of this project was to learn from corporate executives about the most important components of a business case for employer leadership in improving community health.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used dialogue sessions to gain insight into this issue.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The strongest elements included metrics and measurement, return on investment, communications, shared values, shared vision, shared definitions, and leadership. Important barriers included lack of understanding, lack of clear strategy, complexity of the problem, trust, lack of resources and leadership, policies and regulations, and leadership philosophy. Substantial variability was observed in the degree of understanding of the relationship between corporate health and community health.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The business case for intentional and strategic corporate investment in community health occurs along a continuum has a set of clearly defined elements that address why investment may make sense, but also asks questions about the "what-to-do" and the "how-to-do-it."
authors: From the Health Promotion Department (Dr Pronk), HealthPartners; HealthPartners Institute for Education and Research (Dr Pronk), Minneapolis, Minn; Social and Behavioral Sciences (Dr Pronk), Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Mass; The Dow Chemical Company (Dr Baase), Health Services, Employee Development Center, Midland, Mich; Health Enhancement Research Organization (Mr Noyce), Edina, Minn; and MATRIX Public Health Solutions (Dr Stevens), New Haven, Conn.
authors: Nicolaas P
authors: NP
authors: Pronk
authors: Catherine
authors: C
authors: Baase
authors: Jerry
authors: J
authors: Noyce
authors: Denise E
authors: DE
authors: Stevens
mesh_terms: D003132:Commerce / Q000191:economics* / Q000458:organization & administration; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000191:economics* / Q000458:organization & administration; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000191:economics* / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D007449:Investments / Q000191:economics* / Q000458:organization & administration; D007857:Leadership; D015279:Organizational Culture; D017149:Private Sector / Q000191:economics* / Q000458:organization & administration; D011634:Public Health; D014481:United States