+ IBM leads among multinational companies
+ Telefônica do Brasil represents the best among large employers
+ Spokane Regional Health District excels among smaller employers
IBM, Telefônica do Brasil, and Spokane Regional Health District were named Awards winners at the 2nd Global Healthy Workplace Awards and Summit held in Shanghai, 9-10 April 2014. GE China was also recognised as having the best workplace health program in China. These programs are examples of the vital role the workplace can play in improving health and wellness around the world. The search for the healthiest workplaces in the world was sponsored by Cigna and the Cigna Foundation and hosted by International Health Consulting and i-genius, whose common goal is to promote awareness of emerging better practices in health promotion and wellness in the workplace.
Employers from 33 countries vied for the distinction of being considered among the world’s healthiest workplaces. Award submissions were reviewed by an international panel of health and wellness experts from five continents. The winning programmes represent the best of the international business community’s ability to successfully promote good health among their employees and the communities they serve.
The Summit attracted employers of all sizes, health system leaders, universities, policy leaders, NGOs, and world-renowned award judges and speakers amid a two-day packed agenda on topics ranging from addressing public health promotion in China, to mental well-being and happiness at work, to creating healthy workplaces for NGO workers.
Here are the winning programmes:
Multi-national Employers
IBM (Global)
IBM has a long-standing tradition in creating healthy workplaces throughout the world and continues to drive an integrated approach to workplace health. IBM has established 10 global priorities for health promotion, which are applied to its many employees globally. For example, IBM uses social analytics technology to capture “Mini Pulse” feedback from employees as they interact with health programs.
Large Employers
Telefônica do Brasil (Brazil)
Telefônica was a semi-finalist last year and reapplied with a stronger program. Telefônica has developed its own self-managed health insurance plan, with broad coverage all over Brazil. One of the outcomes of the comprehensive “BEM PERTO” program is that health insurance fees are only 7.8 percent of monthly payroll, whereas the average among other Brazilian enterprises is 15 percent of payroll.
Small and Mid-Sized Employers
Spokane Regional Health District (USA)
Spokane is a local public health agency with 250 employees who serve a population of more than 400,000 in Spokane County, Washington. The Living Well Program has a 15-year history and enjoys strong leadership support and active involvement. Spokane has developed policies, system and environmental changes that have greatly enhanced the way employees embrace safe and healthy choices.
To view photos from the Summit, click here!
Shanghai to Host 2014 Global Healthy Workplace Awards and Summit
12th November 2013, updated 15th January 2014
+ Sponsored by Cigna and the Cigna Foundation
+ Workplace health conversation heard around the world
+ Summit focused on Globalization of Workplace Health
+ Applications Accepted Beginning 12th November 2013 & Closing 7th February 2014
+ Good health is good business
Shanghai will host the second Global Healthy Workplace Awards and Summit April 9-10, 2014, as the search continues for the programs making the biggest impact on the health and well-being of the world’s workforce. The event will take place at the Andaz Hotel, Shanghai.
Building on the success of the inaugural Awards and Summit held in London, the Shanghai Summit will expand the audience and scope of awards. This is the only truly global awards program dedicated solely to the recognition of practices and programs in the global workplace. Workplace health program submissions from around the world will be accepted beginning November 12th, 2013, and will be reviewed by an international panel of judges representing five continents with expertise in health promotion, health policy, occupational health and associated disciplines.
“The workplace health conversation is being heard around the world, from London to Brazil and China. Communities and workplaces in every corner of the globe are faced with increased health risks and rising health care costs. Cigna is once again supporting the Global Healthy Workplace Awards and Summit convening employers and other experts to share the programs that are most effective in improving health and well-being and in making workplaces more productive and competitive,” said Dave Guilmette, president of Cigna’s Global Employer Segment.
Cigna and the Cigna Foundation are sponsors of the Global Healthy Workplace Awards and Summit, hosted by two international organizations with extensive health experience, International Health Consulting and the i-genius world community of social entrepreneurs.
Following the desire of participants at the Spring 2013 London Awards and Summit wanting to continue workplace health discussions at the local level, the first- of- its kind regional summit was staged in September 2013 in Latin America, co-hosted by Associação Brasileira de Qualidade de Vida (ABQV), the International Institute for Health Promotion (IAWHP) and the Global Healthy Workplace Awards and supported by Pfizer. The Summit in São Paulo, Brazil, brought together global experts and regional specialists in occupational health and wellness to discuss strategies and tactics and identify best practices.
Professor Rene Mendes, Federal University of Minas Gerais, opened the Brazil Summit by explaining the rapidly increasing role of stress in the workplace, a trend expected to rise as Latin America expands its service sector employment opportunities. Julietta Rodriguez Guzman, Pan American Health Organisation, led a “how to” session on developing a healthy workplace and emphasised that the voice of employees needs to be paramount. The Summit also included case studies from Argentina, Chile and Uruguay as well as one from Brazil-based Telefónica, a London 2013 Global Healthy Workplace award finalist.
The next regional event is being developed and will be held in San Diego on September 29th 2014.
The importance of workplace health programs has evolved over the past half century and today is recognized as essential to improving the health and well-being of workers and communities around the world while raising productivity and reducing cost to employers.
Creating Healthy Workplaces – A First for Latin America
14th October 2013
Sao Paulo, Brazil, played host to the 1st Latin American Healthy Workplace Summit. A high powered Summit co-hosted by ABQV – Associação Brasileira de Qualidade de Vida, the International Association for Worksite Health Promotion (IAWHP) and GHWAwards – Global Healthy Workplace Awards on 29th September brought together regional specialists in occupational health and wellness.
Prof. Rene Mendes, Federal University of Minas Gerais, opened the Summit saying that stress has become an ever more recognised factor in workplace health. He cited the tragic death of 21 year old Merril Lynch London intern, Moritz Erhardt, apparently as a result of exhaustion from continuously working 72 hours as an example of how even corporations are affected. This trend towards problems more associated with white-collar employees is likely to grow as Latin America develops its service sector.
Julietta Rodriguez Guzman, Pan American Health Organisation, argued in a session on how to develop a healthy workplace, that the voice of employees in designing such schemes needs to be heard. At present, ‘we only have half of the equation’, she said.
“The Summit, sponsored by Pfizer and supported by Cigna, heard a series of interesting case studies from Argentina, Chile, Colombia and Uruguay as well as one of the London 2013 Global Healthy Workplace finalists Telefonica from Brazil. Sharing better practice was a key purpose of the deliberations.”
Regional challenges, around cost and delivery of programmes was discussed by a high powered panel of Dow Chemical, Siemens, Kimberly-Clarke, GE and Dupont representatives.
This 1st Latin American Summit is part of a new regional initiative organised by GHWAwards, which will be followed by a series of other reginonal events in 2014 and beyond.
Summit Quotes from Hosts and Partners
“Since the Summit in London, at the first event of the Global Healthy Workplace Award, we were impressed with the ability of organizations like International Health Consulting and i-genius to mobilize individuals, organizations and leaders toward an international movement to build a model of worksite health promotion sustainable for different countries and companies. In Brazil, the Brazilian Association of Quality of Life (ABQV) was pleased to join this movement and co-promote the first Latin American event. It was a great challenge with many difficulties, but the Summit joined people from across the continent, with three official languages (Portuguese, Spanish and English) and great synergy and local cases integrated and aligned with organizational strategies and national policies. We hope that this movement will spread through the different continents with the strong energy of these organizations.”
– Alberto Ogata, President, ABQV
“The first regional seminar aligned with the Global Healthy Workplace Awards was very successful. I wouldn’t expect anything less having it in Brazil and with the support of ABQV, a regional leader in workplace health promotion, as well as the International Association for Worksite Health Promotion (IAWHP). We will continue to bring together leaders in workplace health promotion from various sectors for enhanced sharing and learning”
– Wolf Kirsten, President, IAWHP
“A superb first for Latin America. The Summit illustrated the diversity of approaches to improving workplace health and wellness. Many parts of the world can learn from these.”
– Tommy Hutchinson, CEO & Founder, i-genius