IBLF - eBulletin June 2006

Ill-health and disease impair business performance by hampering individuals, communities and markets.

Together, the WBCSD and IBLF member companies represent over 15 million employees and reach up to three billion customers every day - all of which can provide an enormous opportunity to influence knowledge, understanding and behaviour with regard to health

Traditionally, promoting good health and ensuring adequate access to health services has been a function of government. However, it is increasingly apparent that companies are paying greater attention to ensuring the well-being of their employees.

IBLF's Healthy Eating & Active Living Global Partnership (HEAL) and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development have produced a report demonstrating the clear business case for companies to tackle health issues.

The Business of Health - The Health of Business comprises case studies demonstrating the business case for involvement in issues such as chronic diseases, HIV/AIDS, cardiovascular health and mental ill-health.

Here are just a few of the case studes contained in the report. Click on each one to find out more:

Comprehensive health management

Through The Dow Chemical Company’s Health and Human Performance Management (H&HP) initiative, the company has come to understand the significance of employee health on bottom-line results and has identified priority actions that can be taken to keep both its employees and the company healthy.

Enhancing resilience and mental well-being

Pharmaceuticals company GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has found that employees with mental ill-health are likely to be absent from work 7.5 times more than those with a physical illness. So while the numbers of employees absent may be fewer, the effect on the business is potentially far greater.

Building a comprehensive workplace wellness strategy -

InterContinental, the global hotels group, estimated in 2002 that the total cost to its business of employee health was about $55 million. To address this problem, the company has developed a international strategy - which is now being rolled out worldwide.

Chronic diseases: Identifying and responding to the health issues of a global workforce

On a global and a regional basis Volkswagen Group, one of the world's largest automobile manufacturers, has a challenge to promote and protect the health of its employees as specific health concerns such as obesity emerge.

Bringing healthcare services to rural communities

In India, Royal Philips Electronics aims to provide quality healthcare at an affordable price to the people who need it. In order to reach this goal, the company has custom-built a tele-clinical van complete with diagnostic equipment and dedicated doctors and para-medical staff.

Cardiovascular health in Eastern Europe

The pharmaceutical company Pfizer is leading an initiative to raise awareness and improve the cardiovascular (CV) health of doctors and wider society in Hungary by helping to put in place a program of effective, country-wide screening using its business expertise and resources.

What is IBLF's HEAL Global Partnership?
HEAL is an independent initiative that promotes and facilitates ways in which business can address the massive increase in lifestyle related chronic diseases.
Working across all sectors of industry and with a range of international partners, HEAL helps businesses develop responses that can reduce the increasing burden that these largely preventable diseases are placing on both business and society.
www.iblf.org/heal

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