Workplace wellness program now exceeds
4 Million Employees and Family Members
CARY, NC (September 19, 2013) – Johnson & Johnson, headquartered in New Brunswick, NJ and employing nearly 128,000 people in more than 60 countries, has earned global CEO Cancer Gold StandardTM accreditation. This accreditation recognizes their worldwide commitment to reducing cancer risk by promoting healthy lifestyle choices, encouraging early detection through cancer screenings, and ensuring access to quality treatment for all their employees and their family members around the globe.
The CEO Roundtable on Cancer, a nonprofit organization of CEOs founded by former President George H. W. Bush is chaired by Christopher A. Viehbacher, chief executive officer of Sanofi. “Employers can have a tremendous impact on the overall health of their employees and family members,” said Viehbacher. “Extending the reach of the Gold Standard worldwide reaffirms Johnson & Johnson’s commitment to improving lives.”
Today, over four million employees and family members are benefiting from the vision and leadership of over 150 employers who have chosen to become Gold Standard accredited. Johnson & Johnson was one of the first employers in the United States to adopt the Gold Standard in 2006 and is now one of the first to apply the tenets of that standard worldwide. “The employees of Johnson & Johnson are our greatest asset, and we are committed to investing in their wellness,” said Alex Gorsky, Chairman and CEO of Johnson & Johnson. “Earning The Gold Standard reflects our commitment to ensuring that our employees have access to a range of effective wellness programs, which, we have seen over many years lead to a meaningful impact against key health indicators, while increasing overall engagement and job satisfaction.”
The CEO Cancer Gold Standard was created by the CEO Roundtable on Cancer in collaboration with the National Cancer Institute, many of its designated cancer centers, and leading nonprofit health organizations and professionals. The Gold Standard calls for organizations to evaluate their health benefits and corporate culture and take extensive, concrete actions in five key areas of health and wellness to address cancer in the workplace. To earn Gold Standard accreditation, a company must establish programs to reduce cancer risk by discouraging tobacco use; encouraging physical activity; promoting healthy diet and nutrition; detecting cancer at its earliest stages; and providing access to quality care, including participation in clinical trials.
To be accredited as a global organization, employers must achieve and maintain CEO Cancer Gold Standard accreditation in the U.S., maintain a tobacco-free policy worldwide, and satisfy the essence and spirit of the five key areas of workplace wellness that are foundation of the Gold Standard. Johnson & Johnson implemented a worldwide tobacco-free workplace policy in 2007, and their corporate culture continues to support their employees’ efforts to remain or become tobacco-free. Likewise, their 12 core “culture of health” programs aim to improve overall employee health and well-being (such as employee assistance, cancer prevention, healthy eating and physical activity). Johnson & Johnson is the second employer to earn global Gold Standard accreditation, joining Novartis International AG.
In addition to the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 15 NCI-designated cancer centers and over forty other hospitals and medical centers have earned Gold Standard accreditation. CEOs from across industries are keenly aware of the tremendous impact they can have in improving health, controlling health care costs and making a difference beyond their organization’s walls in the effort to address cancer and other chronic diseases. Other Gold Standard employers include insurers like Aetna, Cigna, State Farm and several Blue Cross affiliates; law firms, such as Hogan Lovells and Jenner + Block; technology companies such as Dell and SAS Institute; and a range of leading employers including American Century Investments and Lowe’s.
About Johnson & Johnson
Caring for the world, one person at a time…inspires and unites the people of Johnson & Johnson. They embrace research and science, bringing innovative ideas, products and services to advance the health and well-being of people. Approximately 128,000 employees at more than 275 Johnson & Johnson operating companies work with partners in health care to touch the lives of over a billion people every day throughout the world. For more information, visit www.jnj.com.
About The CEO Roundtable on Cancer
The CEO Roundtable on Cancer was founded in 2001, when former President George H.W. Bush challenged a group of executives to “do something bold and venturesome about cancer within your own corporate families.” The CEOs responded by creating and encouraging the widespread adoption of the CEO Cancer Gold Standard which calls for organizations to evaluate their health benefits and workplace culture and take extensive, concrete actions in five key areas of health and wellness to address cancer in the workplace. For more information on the CEO Cancer Gold Standard™ and the web-based accreditation process and support, please visit www.CancerGoldStandard.org.
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For more information:
CEO Roundtable on Cancer
Therese Martin, Project Assistant
P: 919-531-3123