Case Study: Heinz UK
Well at Work Programme
Heinz recognises that the workplace is a valuable health-promoting environment.
In 2005 the company teamed up with the British Heart Foundation in one of nine
regional pilots of the Well@Work programme supported by Sport England and the
Department of Health.
The programme was kicked-off at Heinz's Kitt Green facility near Wigan, which is
Europe's largest food factory with around 1,400 employees. It is delivered with
the full support of the senior Heinz management and on the ground support from
the on-site occupational health team together with local partnerships including
Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust, and Ashton and Leigh Primary Care Trust.
The Heinz programme aims to highlight ways of improving diet, increasing
physical activity and reducing smoking as well as increasing alcohol awareness.
Around 30 - 40% of the staff on-site participated in screening including
measurements of blood pressure, cholesterol, stamina, BMI and body composition with
the aim of providing advice on heart disease prevention and to motivate people
to
make lasting healthier lifestyle choices. Heinz's “Absolutely flab-u-less”
12
week weight management programme has been particularly popular as have its
healthier eating options. Heinz has also introduced a Staff Cycle Purchase Scheme
and
held cross functional pedometer challenges.
All activities form part of a two-year tracking study of the Well@Work
programme which will report at the end of 2007.
Key success factors to date have been ensuring senior management buy-in,
securing employees' trust early on and involving unions from the outset. Other
critical success factors have included engagement with the shop floor, profiling the
workforce and talking to staff to understand what they need.
Lasting success depends on the ability to take small steps on the journey -
this is not about quick fixes. Above all Heinz aims to make it fun as well as
flexible.
This case study is featured in our booklet Workplace Wellbeing: The Food Industry in Action (pdf, 1.2Mb) . Heinz is a member of FDF's Workplace Wellbeing Group.
top
Last reviewed: 25 Jun 2008