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Ageing Business Society 

There is a vital need to build deep connectivity and engagement between Gerontology, Business and Public Policy communities for the benefit of society. Through better understanding the demands of ageing and an older society, this SIG will highlight the emerging opportunities and threats for innovators and entrepreneurs, researchers and policy leaders to meet the needs of older people and ageing populations.  

Aims & Focus:

The SIG on Ageing, Business & Society aims to forge that connection by generating a constructive, outcomes focused dialogue among social gerontologists, business and third sector leaders by focusing on three key areas: 

 

  1. To foster the career development of social gerontologists through collaboration with businesses or though pursuing a career in business while retaining a connection with the gerontology community.
  2.  To support businesses to better understand older people and ageing to help with business development.
  3. To contribute to the WHO Decade for Healthy Ageing and the UN Sustainable Development Goals for Health and Wellbeing and Reducing Inequalities.

Members:

Leadership Team

Chair - Ian Philp, Founder, Age Care Technologies® 

Deputy-Chair - Rob Walton, Independent Consultant 

Emerging Researchers - Alison Benzimra, BSG ERA Committee Member (Treasurer)

International Affairs - Mario Barbagallo, President IAGG-ER 

Innovation Policy - George MacGinnis, UKRI Challenge Director, Healthy Ageing

Knowledge Exchange - Debbie Keeling, University of Sussex   

Social Gerontology - Paul Clarkson, University of Manchester

 

Catherine Foot, Phoenix Insights - Director

David Sinclair, ILC - Director

Eric Kihlstrom, Aging 2.0 - UK Ambassador

Jemma Mouland, Centre for Ageing Better - Senior Innovation & Change Manager

Laura Walker, The Longevity Forum - Programme Director

Natalie Elmitt, Home Instead - Communications and Advocacy Manager

Susan Wile Schwarz, Global Coalition on Aging - Director of Communications

Tim Shakespeare, Zinc - Research & Innovation Design Manager 

Tina Woods, All Party Parliamentary Group on Longevity, and Business for Ageing - Co-Founder and CEO

 

Joining the SIG:

Membership of the Ageing, Business & Society SIG is open to all. Please click the link below and complete the form with your details to be added to our membership list. Please indicate if you are simply joining a member or are a part of the British Society of Gerontology or related organisations.

 

Our team is developing a report of our Year 1 findings and plans for our Year 2 work programme, including initiatives that we will lead.

 

Become a member to keep up to date with the work the Ageing, Business and Society Special Interest Group is doing.

Complete the membership formhttps://bit.ly/BecomeAnSIGMember

If you would like to contact the Ageing Business Society SIG team, please email abs-sig@britishgerontology.org.

Opportunities:

To be involved in speaking opportunities with the Ageing, Business and Society Special Interest Group please email abs-sig@britishgerontology.org.

Events:

Workshop: ‘Empowering Social Gerontology to work effectively with and in business’  

Date and time: 27th January 2022, 16:00 – 18:00 GMT 

In this workshop Gerontology experts discuss experiences of working with Business and gather insights to better realise opportunities in ageing.

Speakers:  

Ian Philp, CBE, Chair BSG Special Interest Group, Ageing, Business & Society: Founder, Age Care Technologies® 

Dr Paul Clarkson, Senior Lecturer in Social Care, University of Manchester  

Alison Benzimra, BSG ERA Committee 

Professor Stephen Page, Hertfordshire Business School, University of Hertfordshire

Ian Sherriff BEM, Academic Partnership Lead for Dementia Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry University of Plymouth

Sharon Rose, Wisdom Associates

Watch the workshop recording herehttps://bit.ly/AgeingBites

 

Workshop: ‘How can gerontologists and business work together for mutual benefit?’ 

Date and time: 23rd February 2022, 16:00 – 18:00 GMT  

In this workshop we explored what it will take to forge closer links between gerontologists, business and older consumers. Can this enhance impact from research and help businesses succeed in the market for services and products that enable people to remain active, productive, independent and socially connected across the generations for longer?

Speakers: 

Prof. Debbie Keeling, University of Sussex (co-chair)

George MacGinnis, UK Research and Innovation (co-chair)

Dr. Catherine Foot, Phoenix Insights

Sanjay Lobo, Be on Hand

Suzanne Noble, Startup School for Seniors

Marianna Recchia, Tonus Tech

Colum Lowe, Design Age Institute, Royal College of Art 

Watch the workshop recording herehttps://bit.ly/AgeingBites

 

Workshop: ‘Enabling the WHO Decade for Healthy Ageing.’  

Date and time: 18th May 2022 May, 16:00 – 18:00 BST

 

In this workshop we described the global policy goals for the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing and how these will translate into extending healthy active life. We provided examples about how gerontologists and businesses are contributing to delivering these policy goals and will explore how gerontologists and business can contribute more by working together.

 

Speakers: 

Mario Barbagallo - President, IAGG-ER

David Sinclair - Director, International Longevity Centre

Susan Wile Schwarz - Director of Communications, Global Coalition on Aging

Ian Philp - Founder, Age Care Technologies®

Natalie Elmitt - Home Instead

 

with Catherine Foot, Director of Phoenix Insights, leading as Principle Discussant

 

Watch the workshop recording here: https://bit.ly/AgeingBites