Best Practices

Risk Reduction
Creativity in Action at Enzon

Enzon Pharmaceuticals, Inc. a biopharmaceutical company, leases office space to house its corporate headquarters, located in Bridgewater, NJ.   The building is surrounded by a large parking lot.  While Enzon maintains an on-site fitness center at one satellite location and maintains discount membership arrangements with local fitness centers, it can be difficult for corporate employees to use those exercise facilities.

During our initial CEO Cancer Gold Standard accreditation process, we asked our landlord to paint “Enzon blue” lines around the perimeter of our parking lot for use as a “walking trail”.  The task was completed the next week and Enzon employees were soon taking advantage of a third of a mile “walking trail”.  The trail is marked off in 100 foot increments and takes about 10 minutes to complete at a brisk pace. As an added advantage, non-Enzon employees who work in our building can also be seen taking advantage of the trail’s benefits.

This project supports two of the Gold Standard’s five pillars. First, in conjunction with our Weight Watcher’s program, a brisk walk certainly could be a component of a weight control program. And secondly, for those who are unable or unwilling to go to a fitness center, it provides for an attractive, easy component supporting our physical activity pillar. It is easily accessible to all employees and provides an outward sign to the others working in our building of our commitment to the CEO Cancer Gold Standard.  It’s good advertising for our Gold Standard program at no cost.

Making Physical Activity Part of the Work Day at Duke Medicine

Duke Medicine, includes the Duke University Health System, Duke University School of Medicine (including the Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center) and the School of Nursing.  We are located in Durham, North Carolina, and we believe in making it easy for employees to incorporate exercise into their busy workdays.  We offer:

  • StairWELL to Health:  an incentive program that encourages employees to take the stairs and increase physical activity. Employees track their stair steps as they strive to attain personal goals and reach pre-determined levels.  Daily progress is recorded on-line or in personal logbooks.  Participants earn prizes. Motivational signage is in our stairwells and “points of choice” signage is located near the elevators and at other key locations, where employees would make the decision to take the elevator or stairs.
  • Indoor/Outdoor Walking Paths and Bicycle Racks:  Indoor and outdoor walking routes and maps are available on-line and in hard copy to employees. The objective of this service is to encourage employees to walk from their parking location to their workplace, to take part of their lunch break to walk, to encourage walking meetings, and to educate the employees on how they can fit exercise into their daily routine. Duke also offers specific walking and running trails and employees have access to the Duke athletic track. Bicycle racks are available throughout the campus and there is an annual “Ride Your Bike” to Work” day.
  • Duke Fitness Club: Duke employees and their families are eligible for the Fitness Club which offers discounted memberships to over 27 fitness facilities in the local area.  We also provide two program offerings:
  • Yoga offers a multilevel approach to a healthier you!  Learn how to unwind, stretch out, and tone up-all in one lunch time class.
  • Take Ten is a self-paced on-line exercise incentive program that encourages Duke faculty and staff to participate in physical activity twice a day for 10 minutes at a time. Activities include, stretching, strength training or walking.  Employees earn Live For Life program dollars for logging their exercise.
SAS Institute: Making Exercise Fun and Easy During Work Hours and Beyond…

SAS Institute, the world's leading business intelligence software vendor, maintains its headquarters in Cary, North Carolina.  We provide staffing and support for a 55,000 square foot onsite Recreation and Fitness Center available for use by SAS employees and their eligible family members at no cost. The facility includes two full size basketball courts, three racquetball courts, two group exercise studios, three tennis courts, recreational fields, a junior Olympic-sized swimming pool, cardio and resistance training rooms, and locker facilities.  Group exercise classes are offered each week including formats such as Cycle, Step, Body Sculpting, Interval Training, Water Aerobics, Yoga, Pilates and T’ai Chi.  Employees and their family members have access to fitness professionals for assistance with the development, instruction and follow-up of an individualized exercise program. 

Company-organized leagues and tournaments in sports such as volleyball, ultimate Frisbee, soccer, basketball, racquetball, tennis, and softball also are available.  Outdoor adventure activities such as hiking and canoeing excursions also promote physical activity within the SAS community. The extended operational hours of the Recreation and Fitness Center gives employees, and their family members, access to exercise facilities before, during and after work.  The facility is open Monday-Thursday from 6:00 AM to 8:00 PM, Fridays from 6:00 AM to 7:00 PM and Sundays from 1:00 PM to 6:00 PM.

The University of North Dakota: Helping Employees Live Longer, Healthier, More Fulfilling Lives

At UND, we encourage employees' personal and professional productivity by addressing health and well-being issues at the worksite. We offer a variety of programming, opportunities, and incentives to employees to help them move towards living healthier lifestyles.  Three approaches that we offer are described below:

  • The Wellness Center Plan for Healthy Lifestyles is a ten week class, based upon the Mayo Clinic Plan. This class focuses on the important steps to help employees move towards living a healthier life. Topics include Tackle Tobacco, Achieve a Healthy Weight, Test Yourself, Stay Connected, Play It Safe, Address Stress, and Recharge Your Body and Mind.
  • The Wellness Game of Life, is an incentive program for employees whereby the object of the game is to take steps towards living a healthier life and to earn points while doing so. As participants take part in the many classes and activities that we offer, they earn different point values, on their way to 100 points. There are three different point levels—70, 85, & 100—at which time they become eligible for prizes. In addition, when they hit 100 points, their name goes into the drawing for a trip to Cozumel, mountain bikes, or Wellness Center memberships. Points can be earned for being a non-smoker or taking smoking cessation classes; having a healthy BMI or taking one of our healthy lifestyles classes; working out ten times a month; being CPR certified, etc.
  • Quick Fit, a 15-minute onsite total fitness regimen, is a way for employees to get in some exercise everyday, right at their worksite. Wellness Center staff members go to department staff meetings and show the basics of this program to everyone.
H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center Overcomes All Barriers to Having an Active Lifestyle

At Moffitt, an NCI-designated cancer center located in Tampa, Florida, we don’t believe that there are any barriers to an active lifestyle that can’t be overcome. The most frequent obstacles cited by our staff have solutions in place. They include:

  • Child Care: Moffitt has carefully chosen relationships with fitness organizations that offer free child care to employees when they work out.
  • Money : Moffitt has made the fitness memberships affordable for all employees. Lifestyles fitness memberships cost only $16/month and the Y waives the normal joining fee for Moffitt employees and reduces their monthly fees for Moffitt employees based on the employees’ ability to pay. Our health plan administrator also provides discounts on work out equipment and clothing.
  • Motivation/Education: Moffitt provides three different websites with fitness resources, and monthly articles on the topic of exercise and its key role in the prevention and abatement of chronic conditions.  Seminars are held twice each month on wellness topics including the connection between exercise and wellness.
  • Time:  Moffitt provides flexible schedules and alternative work arrangements (AWA) for employees without regard for the reason. If an employee wants to come in earlier or later so they can make time to exercise, the AWA application process is easy to access on-line and is highly encouraged.

 

Encouraging Physical Activity at Quintiles through Choice and Incentives

Quintiles Transnational Corp., located near Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, is powering the next generation of healthcare by providing a broad range of professional services in drug development, financial partnering and commercialization for the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and healthcare industries. 

As a Gold Standard employer, we are committed to the health of our employees. One way we encourage regular, sustained physical activity within our employees is by offering a Physical Activity Reimbursement Program.  This comprehensive program allows for a $30 per month (up to $360 per year) reimbursement for fitness centers, aquatic centers, yoga/Pilates/Martial Arts/dance studios, sports leagues and dues, massage therapy, personal training, outdoor bicycles, and home exercise equipment.  Physical activity reimbursement is available to all regular employees, whether or not they work at a site with an on-site fitness center. The decision to implement this program was made in recognition of the fact that while many people will take advantage of the convenience of on-site equipment, others will find it undesirable to work out in view of colleagues. Additionally, through this program, employees are reimbursed for a variety of physical activities, not limited to a gym membership.  A flextime work policy provides an additional support mechanism that helps eliminate time and cost barriers to incorporating physical fitness into a busy lifestyle.

 

Getting Physical at the American Legacy Foundation®

The American Legacy Foundation®, located in Washington, DC, is committed to building a world where young people reject tobacco and anyone can quit. 

As a Gold Standard employer, we are committed to the health and wellness of our employees.  Through our Health and Wellness Committee and our benefits program, Legacy has shown great commitment to staff in their quest to get healthy by increasing physical activity.  We encourage physical activity for our employees in several ways.  We offer a Health Club Membership Reimbursement program.  Legacy reimburses employees for health club expenses up to $45 per month and has worked with the local YMCA (two blocks from the office) to negotiate a monthly fee that allows the reimbursement to nearly cover the full amount of monthly membership cost. 

Legacy has also developed a corporate conditioning program with the YMCA, where twice a week employees can take part in corporate conditioning for a minimal fee.  Legacy also houses a small gym in our office building with several machines, work-out videos, small weights, a shower and lockers.  This enables employees who do not want to join a gym to work-out on-site.  We also promote walking the stairs of our seven floor building.  The stairwells are well lit, carpeted, and have motivational signs throughout.  Other physical activities sponsored by our Health and Wellness committee throughout the year include, bike tours, sports leagues, running club, and nature walks.  

Active for Life at the American Cancer Society

The American Cancer Society is the nationwide, community-based, voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives, and diminishing suffering from cancer, through research, education, advocacy, and service.

One of the ways we support the Physical Activity pillar of the Gold Standard is through our annual Active for Life program.  Active for Life is a 10-week program which encourages employees to be more active on a regular basis by setting individual goals and forming teams for motivation and support.  Since everyone’s different, participants set their own goals based on how active they are, and how active they want to be. Personal goals can be moderate (like walking or yard work or taking the stairs) or more intense (like running or tennis).  Participants receive a point for each minute they are active daily and record the number of points they earn toward their total point goal. This helps people keep track of their progress, and get rewarded for working toward their goals. Each participant also belongs to a team. Teammates encourage and motivate each other, and teams are rewarded as members make progress toward their goals. Throughout the ten weeks, activities and workshops, ranging from group walks to workshops on personal safety and health, help inform and motivate participants.  This year 75% of our staff participated in the event.  The top individual finisher from each of our divisions was awarded an iPOD shuffle.

Fostering a Culture That Embraces Health and Wellness at Jenner & Block

Jenner & Block (www.jenner.com) is a national, full-service law firm with approximately 500 attorneys and offices in Chicago, New York and Washington, DC. Founded in 1914, the Firm has grown and prospered because of an unwavering commitment to our clients, to the Bar, to our people and to public service. Jenner & Block has been widely recognized for consistently delivering excellent legal representation in the courtroom and the boardroom.  Companies from around the world trust Jenner & Block with some of their most complex and challenging matters.  Our clients range from the top ranks of the Fortune 500, large privately held corporations and financial services institutions to emerging companies, family-run businesses and individuals. 

Jenner & Block has also traditionally served as a leader in public service and pro bono advocacy, having been consistently ranked as one of the top ten pro bono firms in the country by The American Lawyer magazine. In 2008, The American Lawyer recognized Jenner & Block as the number one law firm in the country for pro bono service. Jenner & Block has also been recognized for its pro bono service to not-for-profit organizations, including by the United Way of Metropolitan Chicago and the Respiratory Health Association of Metropolitan Chicago. 

Jenner & Block was the first law firm in the country to have been accredited with the CEO Cancer Gold Standard.  A key component of Jenner & Block’s commitment to cancer prevention is providing services and resources on-site to help our busy employees incorporate wellness and cancer prevention into their lives.  We believe that offering innovative, accessible and low or no cost on-site programs to our employees fosters a culture embracing health and wellness across our organization.

In support of the American Cancer Society's recommendation of yearly mammogram screenings for women age 40 and over and for women age 35 and older with a family history, Jenner & Block, in 2008,  partnered with Wellness Inc. to provide on-site mammograms at no cost to our employees.  Of the many services and programs provided at Jenner & Block this year, the on-site mammogram program was among the best received services by our people, and the feedback to this critical program to the fight against cancer was overwhelmingly positive. 

In addition, Jenner & Block hosts weekly Weight Watchers nutrition and weight-loss programs.  Dozens of employees have participated in the on-site program and other Weight Watchers programs, collectively losing hundreds of pounds and substantially reducing the risk of heart disease and other illnesses associated with being overweight.  We also offer our employees a complimentary dinner buffet Monday through Thursday, which includes a “Healthy Select” option with nutrition information posted, in addition to fresh, seasonable vegetables and fruit.  All of our conference rooms offer a bowl of seasonal fresh fruit to make healthy snacking an easy and accessible option for our staff and clients. 

Jenner & Block also offers a free on-site smoking cessation course each spring to coincide with the Firm’s participation in World No Tobacco Day.  Further, we provide 100% reimbursement to employees for smoking cessation aids including Nicotine Replacement Therapy in the form of over-the-counter products and prescription drugs, as well as physician counseling.  We also encourage as many people as possible to participate in our complimentary on-site health screenings measuring a number of risk factors, including risk for coronary heart disease. 


Further, Jenner & Block sponsors a popular pedometer walking program and contest.  The “Step It Up” walking program is open to all personnel and participants receive a free pedometer.  In the program, those who participate join together to form teams, submitting weekly step totals, and compete for prizes and firm-wide recognition.  The program has motivated a significant number of office wide employees to challenge each other and improve their health by walking more each day, producing several inspirational stories of weight loss and increased fitness.

These programs, in conjunction with many other programs, such as lunch time educational seminars and an annual on-site health fair, demonstrate that Jenner & Block is committed to promoting a healthy lifestyle for our workforce and to providing programs and services that encourage health and wellness for all of our people. 

 

Caring for the World, One Person at a Time, at Johnson & Johnson

Caring for the world, one person at a time, at Johnson & Johnson

 

Caring for the world, one person at a time inspires and unites the people of Johnson & Johnson.  Employees of the Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies work with partners in health care to touch the lives of over a billion people every day, throughout the world.  Our Family of Companies comprises: consumer health, pharmaceuticals, medical devices and diagnostics and biologics. We have more than 250 operating companies in 57 countries employing 119,400 people. Our worldwide headquarters is in New Brunswick, New Jersey.

 

Johnson & Johnson (J&J) strives to provide an optimal environment for employee health, which includes high quality nutrition. Reducing risk through diet and nutrition by sustaining a culture that supports healthy food choices is the second pillar within the Gold Standard’s five areas of focus.  J&J ‘s health eating initiative, eatcomplete, seeks to provide at least 80% Nutritionally Dense Whole Foods (NDWF) at all eating opportunities within the organization, and to educate employees on the benefits of this pattern of eating.  NDWF are foods that provide us with a significant amount of nutrients per calorie and are close to their natural form (e.g., not overly sweetened and adulterated).

 

For eatcomplete to be a success, we collaborate across multiple disciplines including Wellness, Contract Procurement, Human Resources, J&J Affiliates, Facilities, and most importantly, Food Service. To date the eatcomplete initiative has launched at 85% of the J&J US Operating Company locations.  Recently eatcomplete plan guideline language has been added as an addendum to one of Johnson & Johnson’s preferred Food Service Providers contract.  We are working to have eatcomplete guidelines established as a standard part of all J&J Food Service Contracts for 2010, regardless of vendor. 

 

 

GSK Enables Employees to be Active Partners in Maintaining Good Health

GlaxoSmithKline, one of the world's leading research-based pharmaceutical and health care companies, is committed to improving the quality of human life by enabling people to do more, feel better, and live longer.

As a CEO Cancer Gold Standard Accredited company, GSK wants employees to be active partners in generating health. To that end, GSK has introduced an innovative strategy to link energy and resilience with its leadership development framework so that employees may be healthy, energetic and fully engaged at work and at home for sustainable, healthy high performance.  We recognize that having health is fundamental to being fully engaged in life and allows employees to take the next steps towards being physically energized, emotionally connected, mentally focused and spiritually aligned. Collectively, we feel this defines healthy high performance.

Chronic diseases—such as asthma, diabetes, and some cancers—are an enormous burden on individuals and the healthcare system.  To improve health and save on healthcare spending, we must focus on the prevention and better management of chronic diseases, and continue the search for innovative treatments and cures.  As an employer, our programs and communications are designed to encourage and support our employees in adopting healthy lifestyle practices and making informed healthcare decisions. Our benefits plan provides 100% coverage for wellness checkups including all age/gender recommended screenings.  GSK demonstrates its commitment to health with on-site fitness centers, healthy options in cafeterias, walking trails, and a Health Risk Assessment with a $100 incentive.  For all employees, including our field salesforce, we reach out with online tools, offer access to dedicated nursing staff, provide access to a network of community fitness centers across the US, and $100 reimbursement towards approved wellness offerings.

 

Early Detection
Quality Care

GOLD STANDARD FOCUS

Read Dr. Leonard Berry’s powerful remarks to the CEO Roundtable on Cancer, September 11, 2009, Philadelphia, PA.
Employers of Choice Attacking Cancer


Learn how CEOs are making a difference in the lives of their employees by implementing the CEO Cancer Gold Standard.  Listen to what employees are saying about the Gold Standard in Their Own Voices.


Brochure.pngLearn much more about the Gold Standard by reading The Evidence and The Benefits to Your Organization. 

Did You Know?

In the U.S., men have slightly less than a 1 in 2 risk of developing cancer; for women, the risk is a little more than 1 in 3.