WASHINGTON, DC -- (MARKET WIRE) -- May 9, 2007 -- The National Business Group on Health, a
national non-profit organization, today recognized more than three dozen
U.S. employers for their continuing efforts to promote healthy work
environments and encourage workers to live healthier lifestyles. The third
annual Best Employers for Healthy Lifestyles awards were presented today at
the Leadership Summit sponsored by the Business Group's Institute on the
Costs and Health Effects of Obesity.
"Wellness and lifestyle improvement programs are rapidly becoming a top
priority at many large employers, and with good reason," said Helen
Darling, President of the Business Group. "Employers are recognizing that
there is a direct link between healthy and engaged workers, high
productivity, and controlling rising health costs. That we are honoring
over 50 percent more employers than when we launched this program is a
clear indication that a growing number of employers are serious about
helping workers and their families improve their health."
Now in its third year, the Best Employers for Healthy Lifestyles awards
acknowledge and reward those employers that have responded to the urgent
need to improve their workers' health, productivity and quality of life.
The underlying goal of the program is to serve as a catalyst to encourage
all employers to take action. This year's winning companies offer a wide
variety of wellness and lifestyle improvement programs including, but not
limited to, onsite fitness and health clinics; weight-management, smoking
cessation and tobacco cessation programs; health coaches; web-based health
and fitness tools; financial incentives for participating in fitness
programs and health risk assessments.
"What's very exciting to see is the wide range of innovative programs and
opportunities employers are offering their workers to create a healthy work
environment," said LuAnn Heinen, director of the Institute on the Costs and
Health Effects of Obesity, which was launched in 2003 and created the
awards program. "We are very pleased to honor these 41 companies for their
leadership and forward-thinking approaches toward helping workers choose
healthier lifestyles."
Winners of the Best Employers for Healthy Lifestyles awards were honored in
one of three categories: Platinum, for established "Healthy Weight, Healthy
Lifestyles" programs with measurable success and documented outcomes; Gold,
for creating cultural and environmental changes that support employees who
are committed to long-term behavior changes; and Silver, for employers who
have launched programs or services to promote living a healthier lifestyle.
The winners in each category include:
PLATINUM
Baptist Health South Florida
Dell Inc.
FPL Group
Hannaford Brothers Company
IBM
Kellogg Company
Motorola Inc,
Pitney Bowes Inc.
Principal Financial Group
Texas Instruments Incorporated
Union Pacific Railroad
GOLD
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals
Bath Iron Works, A General Dynamics Company
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, Inc.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina
Campbell Soup Company
CIGNA
Cisco
General Mills, Inc.
Gilsbar, Inc.
H-E-B
Intel Corporation
Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
Medtronic, Inc.
Northeast Utilities
Pepsi Bottling Group
Quest Diagnostics
Roche
Unum
Volvo Group (including Mack Trucks, Inc.)
WaMu
SILVER
EMC Corporation
Fiserv, Inc.
JC Penney Corporation, Inc.
Pfizer Inc.
PRO Sports Club
Sprint Nextel Corporation
Target Corporation
Verizon Wireless
Visant Corporation
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
A complete list of the winners and a brief description of their programs is
available at
www.businessgrouphealth.org.
About the National Business Group on Health
The National Business Group on Health is the nation's only non-profit,
membership organization of large employers devoted exclusively to finding
innovative and forward-thinking solutions to their most important health
care and related benefits issues. The Business Group identifies and shares
best practices in health benefits, disability, health and productivity,
related paid time off and work/life balance issues. Business Group members
provide health coverage for more than 50 million U.S. workers, retirees and
their families. For more information about the Business Group, visit
www.businessgrouphealth.org
Contact Information: Contact:
Ed Emerman
609.452.5967
Email Contact