Case Study: Nestlé UK

Wellness in Action Programme

Nestlé UK Wellness in Action ProgrammeNestlé's vision is to be recognised and admired as the leading food and beverage company in the UK and Ireland with a positive reputation for 'making healthier easier' in everything it does… this means employees too!

Employee Wellness encompasses nutrition, fitness, mental resilience, social and general health. An integral part of this is to educate and empower employees whilst providing the means to lead healthier lifestyles at work. Research has shown that linking these lifestyle factors together can lead to healthier and more productive employees who are engaged in delivering business performance.

Objectives

  • To accelerate profitable growth via accelerating our transformation to a food, nutrition and Wellness company by employees understanding and engaging with the vision and tangibly experiencing the results of it.
  • Create a culture where employees feel that they work for a Wellness company.
  • To help make employees more healthy and productive at work.

Overview and highlights

The Wellness in Action Roadshow has visited two out of eight sites during 2007 so far, with another five by the end of 2007 building on the pilot programme in 2006.

The strategic, site focused roll out encompasses Health Awareness Weeks with health professionals on site covering all shifts. These weeks address key health messages: maintaining healthy hearts, cholesterol and blood pressure, tips and hints for balanced diets and getting more active, directed by employee feedback. Goody packs, smoothie sampling, exotic fruit tasting, a wide selection of nutrition and health literature, and confidential free health checks are available, linked with an internet based health risk assessment program, available to all employees and family members.

The provision of healthier food and drink choices at work is fundamental to Wellness in Action aims. Minimum nutrition standards (making small practical changes to sourcing of ingredients, recipes and cooking practices) agreed with caterers, provide healthier menus, with significant reductions of calories, fat, sugar and salt in healthier options and GDA information available.

Internal communications include “National Annual Health Promotion” programme awareness e.g. supporting the Nestlé UK site smoking ban from March 2007, promoting a healthy smoke free workplace with No Smoking Day, poster campaigns, sampling and desk drops and Nestlé Talk editorial.

Achievements

Health checks (blood pressure, cholesterol, body composition measurements - % body fat, lean body mass and BMI) achieved a 40% take up rate.

Winners of BBC Challenge Award 2006 for the most improved employer.

An internal awards programme is being developed for recognition of healthy work places in Nestlé UK.


This case study is featured in our booklet Workplace Wellbeing: The Food Industry in Action (pdf, 1.2Mb). Nestlé UK is a member of FDF's Workplace Wellbeing Group.

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Last reviewed: 25 Jun 2008