Friuli Venezia Giulia launches first regional European Well-being Economy Lab in partnership with WHO/Europe

Italy's Friuli Venezia Giulia region has launched its first European Well-being Economy Lab, an initiative designed to accelerate policies and investments that put people's health and well-being at the centre of economic decision-making. The Lab is a partnership between the region's Central Directorate for Health, Social Policy and Disability and the WHO European Office for Investment for Health and Development in Venice.

Announced during a high-level policy dialogue in Trieste hosted by Regional President Massimiliano Fedriga, the launch brought together political leaders, experts, and representatives of businesses, foundations and nongovernmental organizations to explore how regions and cities can respond to emerging public health challenges, from growing loneliness and mental health needs to the health and economic impacts of worklessness.

A strategic hub for transforming economies and improving lives

The new Lab will function as a driver of policy and practice innovation through 3 core roles:

• a partnership hub: convening business leaders, health authorities, civil society and foundations to strengthen investments in health and well-being;
• an innovation incubator: supporting the design of laws, strategies and budgets that can deliver improved health, equity and economic resilience; and
• a capacity-building platform: sharing best practices, supporting peer learning, and identifying opportunities for joint action to generate economic, health and social value.

This initiative is part of WHO/Europe's growing collaboration with regions and cities seeking to adopt a well-being economy approach, an economic model that prioritizes people's quality of life, social cohesion and environmental sustainability alongside economic performance.

Why well-being economies matter

As inequities in health and income widen across the European Region, many are questioning whether traditional economic models are meeting people's needs. A well-being economy approach recognizes the value of economic activity, but not at the expense of other factors essential to quality of life. When economic policies overlook social, environmental and health assets, the result can be instability, lower trust in institutions and a sense that governments are not responding to people's priorities.

The health sector is uniquely positioned to lead this shift, not only because many determinants of health lie outside the health system and therefore it is a neutral party, but also because of its ability to bring sectors together around shared goals for population well-being.

A growing movement across the WHO European Region

The launch in Friuli Venezia Giulia builds on momentum across WHO/Europe networks:

• Within the Regions for Health Network, a dedicated task force on well-being economies is convening regional authorities from Belgium, Finland, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and the United Kingdom to share progress and coordinate efforts.
• Within Italy, Friuli Venezia Giulia and the WHO European Office for Investment for Health and Development will present the approach at a forthcoming meeting of the Presidents of Italian Regions, following growing interest from other regions.
• Across the WHO European Healthy Cities Network, cities including Belfast, Brno, Cork, Derry, Palaio Faliro, Reykjavik, Tbilisi, Udine and Utrecht have joined a well-being economy pilot project to localize and test the approach in urban contexts.

"Driving innovation to build a prosperous, fair future for all"

"Initiatives like the European Well-being Economy Lab in Friuli Venezia Giulia can drive innovation not only in health and social care, but also across all sectors whose efforts contribute to good work, active lifestyles, strong social connections and a thriving environment," said Chris Brown, Head of the WHO European Office for Investment for Health and Development.

"By focusing not just on the quantity of what economies produce, but on the well-being of the people who produce it, authorities can respond to what truly matters to communities. This is how we build resilient, prosperous societies that secure a decent future for all."

The Lab began its work in 2025 with a programme of policy dialogues, learning exchanges and collaborative projects aimed at scaling evidence-based practices and supporting regions to measure and deliver on well-being outcomes. Activities are set to continue into 2026.