The Food and Drink Federation (FDF) is launching a new report today called ‘Workplace Wellbeing: Industry in Action’, showing how food manufacturers are helping employees become fitter and healthier.
The report is being launched at Business in the Community’s Health and Work Summit, at which Fiona Dawson, MD of Mars Chocolate UK and chair of FDF’s Health and Wellbeing Steering Group, will be speaking about her company’s award winning scheme.
Mars’ in-house Winning with Wellness Programme involves advice diet and nutrition, physical activity, stress management and help to stop smoking. The company holds week long events at each of its sites to promote the programme during which it provides BMI measurement, wellness kiosks, and cholesterol, blood pressure and glucose checks.
It also offers corporate rates for gym membership with some sites housing an on-site gym; stress management and stress awareness days, organised events such as netball and five-a-side football tournaments, and regular exercise classes including boxercise, pilates, salsa dancing, Tai Chi and circuit training.
“The food industry knows that the wellbeing of our employees has a direct impact on productivity,” says Fiona Dawson. “We appreciate the importance of building a strong reputation as an excellent employer to enable us to continue recruiting the best possible talent into our businesses.
“At FDF, we firmly believe that good health is good business – decreasing absenteeism and increasing employee engagement. It is long-term employee wellbeing that provides the most compelling reason to keep taking workplace health seriously.”
Other case studies in the report feature companies including Britvic, Cadbury, Coca Cola, Kellogg’s, Nestlé, Tate & Lyle and Pepsi Co. Click here for a PDF copy.
The Health and Work Summit takes place today at the King’s Fund healthcare charity’s building in Cavendish Square, London.
