Wellness
Why Employers Care
Chronic diseases (including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer and chronic respiratory disease) are the leading causes of death and disability around the world — causing double the number of deaths each year from all infectious diseases including HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.
As the global workforce increases and the amount of time spent at work grows, experts agree that the workplace is an essential setting for effective prevention strategies including the promotion of long-term lifestyle and behavior change. Major global companies are designing and implementing wellness programs globally to effectively address key disease risk factors.
What Employers Can Do
Healthy diets, physical activity and tobacco control are only three of many risk factors that employers are addressing. Initiatives include:
- Health risk assessments and biometric measurements such as blood pressure, cholesterol, and waist circumference.
- Employee education through health fairs, nurse lines, onsite health professionals, and electronic and print communications.
- Workplace competitions for weight loss and to promote physical activity.
- Benefit designs that impose no barriers to employees who seek preventive services.
Global Health Benefits Institute Resources
- A Survey Review of Health Risk Assessment Providers in International Markets – May 20, 2008
This report assesses six international health risk assessment (HRA) providers’ capabilities in international markets.
- Employers' Experiences with Health Risk Assessments in International Markets – March 14, 2008
This report explores multinationals' experiences with non-U.S.-based health risk assessment use. This report covers encountered problems, incentive use, participation rates and satisfaction, data analysis, gap analysis, and other related-services offered by employers.
- Obesity in Mexico Quick Survey – February 25, 2008
This quick survey looks at the healthy weight initiatives of GHBI member companies in Mexico.
- PricewaterhouseCoopers' Key Findings from Working towards Wellness Initiative Webinar – May 23, 2007
PricewaterhouseCoopers presented key findings from the World Economic Forum report on global wellness programs.
- Intel's Senior Management Support and Approval – May 23, 2007

Intel discussed the critical need for senior management support in the success of its global wellness initiatives.
- Federal Express's Wellness Program in Mexico – People First – May 23, 2007

Federal Express presented its wellness strategy and key elements in its implementation in Mexico.
- Health Risk Assessment Use in India Survey Report – April 3, 2007
This member-requested survey investigated the health risk assessment tools and wellness programs used by multinationals in India.
- Working Towards Wellness: Accelerating the Prevention of Chronic Disease – February 5, 2007
PricewaterhouseCoopers and the World Economic Forum, in collaboration with NBGH, released this report outlining a gold standard for structuring and measuring success in chronic disease prevention programs conducted in the workplace.
- Working towards Wellness Quick Survey Report – November 6, 2006
This survey explored the wellness strategies used by large multinational corporations.
Other Resources
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