Dallas, Texas - The results of the American Heart Association 2018 Workplace Health Achievement Index are in, recognizing 775 organizations for taking important steps to build a culture of health in the workplace. The American Heart Association, the world’s leading voluntary organization dedicated to building healthier lives, free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke, created the Index with its CEO Roundtable members, a leadership collaborative of more than 40 CEOs from some of America’s largest organizations who are committed to applying evidence-based approaches to improve their employees’ overall health. The Index uses science-based best practices to evaluate the overall quality and comprehensiveness of their workplace health programs.
More than 1,000 organizations completed the index assessment this year and, of those companies, 75 percent received either Gold, Silver or Bronze recognition. Organizations receive benchmarking reports, which allow them to identify potential areas of improvement so that they can advance their annual performance and recognition.
“Our CEO members have committed to improve the health of our nation’s companies, their employees, and communities,” said Alex Gorsky, Chairman and CEO of Johnson & Johnson and Co-Chairman of the Association’s CEO Roundtable. “The Index is an important tool that helps companies continuously improve their workplace health programs and we’re pleased to see more companies join us on this important mission.”
The Association’s Workplace Health Achievement Index allows organizations to measure the effectiveness of their workplace health programs, as well as the overall heart health of their employees. Unlike other existing organizational scorecards, the Index also scores organizations on the heart health of their employees based on Life’s Simple 7® – the Association’s scientifically validated criteria for ideal heart health. The key factors contributing to optimal heart health include smoking cessation, maintaining a healthy weight, staying physically active, eating a healthy diet, managing blood pressure, lowering cholesterol and keeping blood sugar at a healthy level.
Scientific research shows that improving these seven factors can lead to significant reductions in heart disease, stroke, cancer and many other health problems. In addition, people who achieve ideal cardiovascular health by age 50 have a significantly lower risk of heart disease and stroke and live, on average, approximately 10 years longer than people with two or more risk factors.
A unique feature of the Index is that it calculates an average heart health score for employees of participating organizations that securely submit aggregate health data. The American Heart Association has launched a new business, Health Screening Services, which blends the simplicity and effectiveness of Life’s Simple 7 with the importance of knowing your numbers through biometric screenings while activating and engaging consumers in actions that can help them to improve their health. This new provision is another tool to assist employers in improving the health of their workforce
“Quality health care benefits help private sector companies attract and retain the best talent,” said Brian Moynihan, CEO of Bank of America and Co-Chairman of the Association’s CEO Roundtable. “This Index shows how companies are providing quality, affordable health care to 170 million Americans.”
“These companies are leading the way to integrate health and well-being into the overall fabric of their workplaces,” said Nancy Brown, CEO of the American Heart Association. “The American Heart Association is committed to helping companies create a culture of overall health and well-being anchored in heart health. We know that good health is good business and congratulate these companies on their successes.”
The American Heart Association’s Workplace Health Solutions offer a suite of science-based, evidence-informed tools and services to help optimize current employee health programs. These tools and services leverage the science behind the Index while improving consumer engagement and promoting healthier behaviors. For more information, visit www.heart.org/workplacehealth.
