NEWS DISTRIBUTION
SERVICE News Release (HSE-078) issued by The Government News Network
on 6 May 2008
Issued on behalf
of Health, Work & Wellbeing
TURNING THE SPOTLIGHT ON HEALTHIER WORKPLACES
Employers who work hard to keep their workforce healthy and happy
have the chance to win recognition at this year's National
Business Awards.
For the second year running, the cross government initiative
Health Work and Wellbeing is sponsoring an award to help find the
country's best employer when it comes to ensuring the health
and wellbeing of its employees.
And for the first time this year, it's also sponsoring a
similar award for small or medium-sized firms with 250 staff or less.
The National Business Awards, established in 2002, showcase UK
business at its best - rewarding best practice, innovation and
outstanding achievement. They are open to all businesses, of all
sizes and from every industry.
The Health Work and Wellbeing categories aim to build on the
momentum created by Dame Carol Black's review of the health
of the working age population, Working for a Healthier Tomorrow.
The review focused on ensuring people stay healthy at work and
proposed radical changes to work-related health services. It was
launched in March with key recommendations aimed to benefit a wide
variety of people including employers, government, health
professionals and individuals.
Dame Carol, National Director for Health and Work, said:
'Good health is good business and that's why I'm
so determined to ensure our workplaces become healthier places,
with everyone standing to benefit - families, employers and the
country as a whole.
'I've seen some great examples of innovative programmes
designed to keep employees healthy and happy. We need to hear from
you if you're one of those companies or you work for one of them.
'The one way to make sure that everyone can look forward to
work in a health enhancing environment is for that to be the
normal, accepted standard, not the exception. But we still have
some way to go. By giving public recognition to employers who are
already making lives better, we can give every company a standard
for which they should aim.'
Entries for awards are now being taken and the winners will be
announced at a gala ceremony and dinner at London's Grosvenor
House Hotel on 18 November.
To win one of the Health Work and Wellbeing awards you must be
able to demonstrate to a panel of independent expert judges how
you've improved the health and wellbeing of your workforce.
For example, by maintaining a safe and healthy working environment
beyond legal obligations; promoting healthy lifestyle choices; or
supporting staff with a health condition to remain in or to return
to work.
Businesses can enter the Health Work and Wellbeing Awards online
at http://www.nationalbusinessawards.co.uk
or by contacting the entries team on 020 7234 8751 before noon on
31 July.
Notes to editors
1. The Health Work Wellbeing programme was
launched in October 2005. Led by Dame Carol Black, the National
Director for Health and Work, it is a ground-breaking partnership
between government, employers and healthcare professionals and is
sponsored by the Department for Work and Pensions; Department of
Health; the Health and Safety Executive; the Scottish Executive
and the Welsh Assembly Government.
2. For more information about the National Business Awards go to
http://www.nationalbusinessawards.co.uk
3. To find out more about Dame Carol's review go to http://www.workingforhealth.gov.uk