World Health Day 2026: Together for health. Stand with science

World Health Day 2026 calls on people around the world to stand with science under the theme “Together for health. Stand with science.” The year‑long global campaign celebrates the power of scientific collaboration to protect the health of people, animals, plants and our planet.

This year’s observance is anchored by two significant global moments: the International One Health Summit, hosted by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Government of France, and the Global Forum of WHO Collaborating Centres, bringing together nearly 800 scientific institutions from over 80 countries. Together, these events highlight the critical role of science‑led partnerships in building healthier, more resilient societies.

For Anglo American, standing with science means grounding our decisions in evidence and working collaboratively to protect the health of our people, communities and the environments in which we operate, in line with our Sustainability Strategy.

Standing with science at Anglo American

We play an active role in society by contributing directly and indirectly to the health of workforces and the communities where we operate. Our Sustainability Strategy considers our role as a trusted corporate leader. We look after our people’s health by ensuring an inclusive workplace, where every colleague feels safe, valued and supported to thrive. We also support thriving communities through our community health programmes that improve health equity by helping to strengthen health systems and addressing local priorities.

In addition, we contribute to the well-being of local communities through our financial contributions – including taxes and royalties – as well as through the jobs we create, the development of local skills, the support we provide to business and livelihood opportunities, and the investments we make in education and community health.

Advancing health through science and care

In 2025, we supported self‑assessments and implementation of our updated Total Health Standard for our workforce. This has enabled a broader, integrated, science-based approach to worker health and well-being. Building on the decades of experience we have managing HIV/AIDS and TB, we now also actively address key non‑communicable diseases such as mental health conditions, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, obesity and certain cancers.

We continue to expand our digital health transformation, strengthening our data and analytics capabilities to support AI‑enabled, evidence‑based decision making. Alongside this, we have grown our global mental health resources through WeCare, enhancing early detection, manager support and practical interventions including the rollout of the Stress Check tool.

Dr Robina McCann, Vice President: Health, says:

“Science shows us that health does not exist in isolation. The health and well-being of people is deeply connected to healthy working and living environments, strongly connected communities and resilient healthcare infrastructure and delivery systems. At Anglo American, we stand with science by using evidence, strong local and global partnerships and adopting cross industry innovation to improve health outcomes today and for future generations.”

Healthy environment: protecting health through climate, nature and water

Protecting health also means protecting the environmental systems that sustain life. Guided by science, Anglo American’s sustainability ambitions support a healthy environment through clear focus areas:

• Climate
  Producing carbon‑neutral metals and minerals by 2040, supporting the global transition to a low‑carbon future and contributing to climate resilience.
• Nature
  Delivering nature‑positive outcomes now and into the future, recognising that healthy ecosystems are essential for biodiversity, livelihoods and long‑term community health.
• Water
  Protecting, preserving and restoring water catchments to support resilient operations, thriving communities and healthy environments.

These priorities reflect the UN’s One Health principle, advocating that human health is entirely dependent on stable climates, clean water, nutrition bearing crops and other thriving natural systems.

Learn more about the healthy environment theme in our Sustainability Strategy.

Improving health equity through partnerships

Aligned with our sustainability ambitions, Anglo American is committed to improving healthcare access and equity of service by helping strengthen health systems and addressing local health and well-being priorities in the regions and communities where we operate.

Partnerships are key to this effort. By collaborating with local, regional and global partners across sectors – including partners such as the Global Fund – we act as a catalyst for systemic change, increasing the scale, speed and long‑term impact of science‑led solutions.

Our commitment extends to strengthening health systems, with a particular focus on primary healthcare, which serves as the frontline of prevention, early detection and continuity of care for the communities we work alongside.

Learn more about our health focus area in our Sustainability Strategy.