People & Planet United Summit Brings Together Cross-Sector Voices to Advance Health, AI Innovation, and Global Responsibility

30+ Health and Sustainability Leaders Convene to Tackle Parallel Challenges Shaping People and Care

NEW YORK, May 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The health of people is shaped by the health of the world around them. That connection is becoming more visible in the conditions people face and the care they receive. FINN Partners, in collaboration with HITLAB, The Galien Foundation, and 1BusinessWorld, will bring together health and sustainability leaders for the Second Annual People & Planet United - Global Health & Purpose Summit, kicking off New York City Health Innovation Week (NYCHIW).

Through a series of curated conversations, case-based discussions, and cross-sector exchanges, the Summit brings together leaders from life sciences, technology, education, travel, and policy to share what is working in practice and where change is still needed. Building on the momentum of its inaugural year, the program highlights real-world efforts that connect environmental conditions to patient outcomes, with a focus on approaches that can be applied across continents.

Climate, Health and AI Converge

This year's program reflects a growing recognition that human health and the world people live in are closely connected. Leaders across sectors are examining how that reality is showing up in care, from changing disease patterns to questions of access and system resilience, and what it requires of those responsible for delivering solutions.

Artificial intelligence will be a central focus of the Summit. As its role in health and life sciences expands, discussions will explore how AI is being applied in real-world settings, how it supports clinical and operational decision-making, and what safeguards are needed to ensure its responsible use.

Additional sessions will address global health equity, rural health, the security of health data, government regulatory policy, and women's health, reflecting the range of challenges shaping how care is delivered and experienced.

"We have reached a point where climate is no longer just an environmental issue. It is a defining challenge in health and life sciences, shaping how diseases emerge, how care is delivered, and how health systems endure," said Gil Bashe, Chair Global Health and

Purpose, FINN Partners. "If we do not address them together, we will fall short of what people across the world need," he added.

From Dialogue to Action

The Summit will bring together leaders from organizations including Acentra Health, Autonomize AI, Bayer, Briya, Dionysus Healthcare, Efrata Communications, Faron Pharmaceuticals, FINN Partners, Helfie, HITLAB, King & Spalding, Massive Bio, Medical AI, Microsoft, Montefiore Health System, NostaLab, Novartis, Novo Nordisk, One Sustainable Health for All Foundation, and the University of Athens, alongside innovators, policymakers, and advocates from across the global health ecosystem.

Together, participants will share practical experience and identify approaches that can be applied across different settings to improve people's health and strengthen how care is delivered.

"New York Health Innovation Week was created to bring together the people and ideas shaping the future of health. The People & Planet United Summit reflects that purpose, connecting leaders across disciplines to explore how care is evolving and what it will take to meet the needs ahead," said Stan Kachnowski, PhD, MPH, CIBE, founder and chair, HITLAB and curator of New York City Health Innovation Week.

As part of New York Health Innovation Week, FINN Partners and HITLAB will open the Summit with a New York City gathering to connect, exchange ideas, and continue the conversation in person.

The 2025 Summit brought together more than 300 leaders and engaged a global audience, reflecting growing attention to how the world people live in is shaping health and care.

For more information about the 2026 People & Planet United Summit: https://1businessworld.com/2026-global-health-purpose-people-and-planet-united/

About FINN Partners

FINN Partners is a global independent marketing and communications agency delivering integrated capabilities across public relations, digital marketing, creative services, and strategic advisory. With deep expertise in health, health IT, life sciences, and purpose-driven communications, FINN helps organizations navigate complex transformation and build trust with the audiences that matter most.

SOURCE Finn Partners, Inc.