NEW ORLEANS – The City of New Orleans Health Department (NOHD) recognized nine local businesses and organizations Friday through the Fit NOLA Business Certification program for achieving workplace wellness at the quarterly Fit NOLA Forum.
The Business Certification Program is based on national worksite wellness models and helps businesses move toward physical and nutritional fitness. The program recognizes businesses in the Greater New Orleans region that meet certain standards for worksite wellness such as: being physically active, eating fresh fruit and vegetables, providing lactation rooms in the office and having a tobacco-free workplace. Businesses that meet or surpass these standards receive special awards.
United Healthcare Community Plan received the Platinum Award—the highest designation. Louisiana Public Health Institute, Tulane University, the New Orleans Saints and the New Orleans Pelicans received the Gold Award; the American Heart Association of Greater New Orleans, the Advocate New Orleans, New Orleans City Hall and REO, L.L.C. received the Silver Award; and Up2Us received the Bronze Award.
Fit NOLA, Mayor Mitch Landrieu's comprehensive plan to achieve healthy weight and fitness in New Orleans, seeks to provide businesses with the tool kit assessment to identify areas of improvement in hopes to lower employer expenses and improve employee health.
“Fit NOLA encourages New Orleans residents to make better choices that will help us build a healthier community,” said Mayor Landrieu. “From businesses and schools, to our recreation department and corporate sponsors, we have engaged our entire community to encourage healthier lifestyles.”
“Mayor Landrieu, the City Health Department, and Fit NOLA recognize the important role employers have played in sustaining a healthy workforce,” said NOHD Director Charlotte Parent. “We created the Fit NOLA Business Toolkit to award the businesses who give their employees the tools they need to lead a healthy life and make a positive health impact on our city.”
In 2013, the Business Sector, one of Fit NOLA’s six strategically formed teams developed the Fit NOLA Business Toolkit to help companies assess their current state of workplace wellness. Comprised of representatives from Fortune 500 companies and local non-profits and universities, the Business Sector created the assessment to identify areas in which businesses could improve and celebrate championed initiatives and policies of employee health.
