The cooperation between Hekate Conscious Ageing Foundation (HCAF) and Haleon, a global healthcare company, represents a new model of cross-sector collaboration in the field of ageing, self-care, and social awareness. By combining the expertise of a values-driven civil society organisation with the reach and innovation capacity of the corporate sector, the partnership demonstrates how complex societal challenges can be addressed more effectively through shared responsibility and complementary strengths.

The joint work is rooted in research, expanded through public awareness initiatives, and translated into concrete action through the ÉletPlusz (LifePlus) programme, a nationwide initiative promoting conscious ageing and self-care at both individual and community levels.

From Research to Shared Understanding

The cooperation began in 2024 within the framework of a research project focusing on self-care, ageing, and ageism. Recognising the lack of comprehensive, evidence-based insight into how people relate to ageing and self-care in Hungary, HCAF and Haleon initiated a representative national survey.

The research was carried out by Median, one of Hungary’s leading survey and research companies, ensuring methodological rigor and representative data. The findings offered a detailed picture of public attitudes toward ageing, self-care practices, and the social presence of ageism, highlighting both structural gaps and opportunities for positive change.

Building on the research results, HCAF and Haleon jointly produced a White Paper, translating data into strategic insights and policy-relevant conclusions (White Paper in English). The White Paper became a foundational document for dialogue with professionals, decision-makers, and the wider public.

Public Awareness and the LifeOn Campaign

To ensure that research insights reached beyond professional circles, Haleon launched the LifeOn Campaign, a public awareness initiative aimed at challenging age-related stereotypes and promoting active, self-directed approaches to ageing.

The campaign addressed ageing as a life-long process rather than a late-life issue, emphasising the importance of self-care, autonomy, and social connection at all ages. Through accessible messaging and broad outreach, LifeOn contributed to reframing public narratives around ageing and helped bring the topic into mainstream social conversation.

From Awareness to Action: The Birth of ÉletPlusz

While the research and LifeOn Campaign generated visibility and understanding, they also revealed a clear need for practical, community-level action. The findings showed that individuals and local communities often lack accessible tools, knowledge, and supportive structures to translate awareness into everyday practice.

In response, HCAF and Haleon decided to deepen their cooperation, and we jointly created the ÉletPlusz (LifePlus) programme, a continuation and expansion of the work. The programme moves beyond awareness toward empowerment and capacity building.

The ÉletPlusz Programme: Conscious Ageing in practice

The ÉletPlusz programme is designed as a nationwide initiative offering free Conscious Ageing and (Self)Care trainings and awareness-raising events across Hungary in 2026. Its aim is to strengthen individual and collective capacity for self-care, active ageing, and resilience in the context of demographic change.

The programme addresses multiple levels simultaneously:

• Individuals, by providing knowledge, reflection tools, and practical approaches to conscious ageing and self-care
• Communities, by supporting shared learning, mutual support, and collective responsibility
• Local actors, including municipalities, NGOs, and informal groups, by strengthening local care-related infrastructures

All of our field activities within ÉletPlusz are guided by the Conscious Ageing Wheel, our integrative model that connects physical, mental, emotional, social, environmental, and existential dimensions of ageing and self-care. This holistic framework ensures that interventions remain balanced, inclusive, and adaptable to diverse local contexts.

Strengthening Local Self-Care Ecosystems

A central ambition of the ÉletPlusz programme is to support the development and improvement of local self-care and care-support infrastructures. Rather than creating parallel systems, the programme works with existing initiatives, institutions, and networks, helping them to become more age-aware, inclusive, and sustainable.

Municipalities, civil society organisations, and community groups participating in ÉletPlusz receive support in:

• understanding demographic ageing trends and local implications
• identifying strengths and gaps in existing care and support structures
• co-creating locally relevant responses aligned with conscious ageing principles

This place-based approach enables long-term impact and supports local ownership.

Strategic Communication and Outreach

The ÉletPlusz programme is supported by a professionally designed social media campaign, implemented by a specialised social media expert company. The campaign amplifies programme messages, promotes participation, and reaches diverse age groups across digital platforms.

By combining on-the-ground activities with strategic communication, the programme ensures both depth and reach, reinforcing behavioural change and public engagement around conscious ageing and self-care.

A Partnership with exceptional synergy

The cooperation between HCAF and Haleon is exceptional in its depth and balance. It brings together the expertise, credibility, and grassroots knowledge of a specialised NGO with the scale, innovation capacity, and visibility of a global healthcare company.

This synergy enables impact that neither partner could achieve alone. Shared values, mutual respect, and a commitment to long-term change form the foundation of the partnership, allowing experimentation, learning, and continuous development.

Toward a broader Social Ecosystem

Beyond the direct cooperation, HCAF and Haleon are actively working to bring additional sectors into dialogue and collaboration. The long-term vision is the creation of a social ecosystem for conscious ageing, where diverse actors contribute their knowledge and perspectives.

This emerging ecosystem includes:

• municipalities and public institutions
• companies and employers
• academic and research institutions
• media professionals
• NGOs and grassroots initiatives
• informal community networks

By connecting these actors, the partnership aims to create robust, inclusive, and widely accessible approaches to conscious ageing and self-care that can adapt to changing social and demographic realities.

Looking Forward

The ÉletPlusz programme represents a significant step toward embedding conscious ageing into everyday life, community practice, and institutional thinking. It shows how research-based insight, public awareness, and concrete action can be combined through cross-sector cooperation.

Through their ongoing partnership, HCAF and Haleon are contributing to a future in which ageing is approached with awareness, dignity, and shared responsibility—benefiting individuals, communities, and society as a whole.

Full video of the Press Conference in Hungarian (03.03.2025):