On 26 February, the University’s Barcelona Campus hosted a new edition of FORSA 2026, the leading forum on organisational wellbeing and occupational risk prevention, which brought together experts, companies and institutions to discuss how to integrate mental health and wellbeing into future business strategies. The event featured several professionals associated with UIC Barcelona, including Isabella Meneghel, researcher in the Department of Psychology, and Miquel Arfelis, head of the University’s Occupational Risk Prevention Unit.
Maria Fernández Capo, director of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences’ Department of Psychology, was tasked with giving the event’s institutional welcome. In her speech, Capo stressed the importance of promoting healthy work environments based on scientific evidence and cooperation between universities, businesses and institutions.
The programme included several round tables and expert presentations focusing on the challenges of healthy work, the use of technology in workplace wellbeing, team development and how to enhance talent and productivity through individual wellbeing.
One of the highlights of the event was the presentation delivered by Isabella Meneghel, a researcher in the Department of Psychology, entitled “360° Leadership Diagnosis: Evidence for Wellbeing, Mental Health and Results”. During her talk, she advocated for a shift towards organisational models in which wellbeing is integrated into both business strategy and leadership style.
“Occupational risk prevention must evolve towards a strategic and integrated model in which wellbeing is part of organisational culture and leadership,” argued the researcher. She went on to explain that the results of the Leader Coach project she directs show that investing in healthy leadership not only safeguards employee health but also improves the work experience and collective performance.
Her contribution highlighted the role of university research in generating applied knowledge to improve mental health in the workplace and advance towards more sustainable organisations.
The forum also featured Miquel Arfelis, head of the University’s Occupational Risk Prevention Unit, who took part in sessions focused on integrating prevention into organisational management systems
The event’s various speakers agreed that wellbeing in companies can no longer be approached as an isolated initiative, but rather as a cross-cutting management system that has a direct impact on leadership, corporate culture, business performance and organisational sustainability.
Throughout the event, participants addressed the challenges of the future of work and presented practical examples of healthy organisations, wellbeing management systems and tools aimed at leadership development and talent management. Attendees also had the opportunity to take part in activities such as the Showroom on occupational risk prevention through technology and hands-on workshops focused on stress management and nervous system regulation.
The event was held as part of the European campaign “Healthy Workplaces”, promoted by the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, and offered participants a place to reflect and share knowledge on organisational health, wellbeing and sustainability.
