GBCHealth’s Business Action on Health Awards recognize corporate leadership and commitment to improving global health through the implementation of high-impact, evidence-based health programs.
GBCHealth congratulates Hippo Valley Estates Ltd. for Wellness and Disease Management, the winner of this year’s Business Action on Health Award for Workplace and Workforce Engagement.
About Workplace and Workforce Engagement
When Ambassador Richard Holbrooke helped found GBCHealth, HIV/AIDS soared at crisis levels and few companies had programs to protect their employees and communities. Today, corporate health programs of all types are increasingly mainstreamed with dedicated staff and firms to deliver them. This award recognizes a corporate workplace program that is continuing to evolve by integrating new approaches, health issues and leaders to more effectively protect and improve the health and wellbeing of employees.
The winner, Hippo Valley Estates and commended companies, Chevron for Your Health and Delta Corporation for Step Change were honored today at an Award’s Ceremony in Accra hosted jointly with Private Sector Malaria Prevention Project (PSMP) at John Hopkins Center for Communication, UK Aid and the National Malaria Control Programme of the Ghana Health Services.
The winner was selected through a rigorous evaluation process by a panel of judges comprised of experts across government, multilateral, NGO, academic and business sectors.
“For more than a decade GBCHealth has been presenting awards to companies that exemplify a spirit of innovation and help set the agenda for addressing today’s most important global health challenges. Each of these companies is demonstrating through action what true leadership looks like when it comes to supporting their employees and communities,” said GBCHealth’s President Nancy Wildfeir-Field.
Program Descriptions
Hippo Valley Estates for Wellness and Disease Management
Located in Zimbabwe, Hippo Valley Estates’ primary business is the growing of sugarcane and production of sugar. The company has a comprehensive approach to managing the health of its employees through an integrated workplace program based on a public health approach to communicable diseases (malaria, TB, HIV/AIDS); maternal and child health for employees and dependents; occupational health management; a medical center to manage acute and chronic conditions; and the provision of diagnostic services. These services are provided free of charge to permanent and temporary employees and dependents. Employees and dependents belong to an internal health insurance scheme where they pay less than USD 2/month/member. Health services are also extended to the surrounding community. HVE’s public health programs are provided through a public-private partnership with the Ministry of Health and Child Care and with NGOs. Overall, the program covers between 18,000 and 26,000 recipients, depending on the season.
Chevron for Your Health
Under the brand, Your Health, Chevron’s Global Health and Medical department offers comprehensive programming geared toward improving the overall health of its workforce. A range of health resources are provided to address the varied needs and interests of Chevron’s diverse, global workforce. Globally, Your Health includes a focus on lifestyle risks associated with cardiovascular disease (through the “Healthy Heart” program), HIV/AIDS, TB and mosquito-borne diseases. On-site fitness centers in some locations offer a range of illness and injury prevention training, health education, and exercise opportunities. Remote and field locations also receive health and fitness support. Workplace wellness programs are based on stakeholder engagement and systematic needs assessments. Your Health program components are then matched appropriately to resource availability to fill identified gaps. A number of resources are available as “off-the-shelf” tools, which can be localized and customized to meet the identified needs of a business unit. The reach of Your Health is extended into communities where Chevron operates particularly through Chevron’s commitment to preventing mother to child transmission of HIV/AIDS through global PPPs and through peer health educator programs.
Delta Corporation for Step Change
Step Change primarily focuses on the wellness of Delta Corporation’s employees with a view that maintaining employee health improves productive potential, making the business case for the wellness program. The program started in 2003 after the organization lost a number of skilled employees to HIV/AIDS, and was then upgraded to a Wellness Program in 2010. The main driver for this change was the surge of NCDs contributing to ill health and loss of productivity. A survey to permanent employees performed every two years is used to direct program outcomes, identify training needs, devise means to increase the uptake of wellness initiatives, and to identify partners to offer services for the wellness initiative. Additionally, employees are part of the company’s wellness committee. Importantly, Delta has demonstrated the ability to adapt its Wellness Program to the changing needs of its employees and communities—for example, during a Cholera outbreak, the organization donated point-of-use LifeStraw Water filters to all employees in business units located in the most-affected areas.
For more information about GBCHealth’s Awards click here.