Case Study: Unilever UK
Vitality in Action Programme
Aim
Unilever's mission is to add Vitality to life. Vitality is at the heart of
everything the company does. It is in the brands, people and values.
Vitality in Action, a component of the overall Vitalising Employee Health
Scheme, is focused primarily on cardiovascular disease risk identification. The
programme incorporated a heart health check which included total cholesterol and
high
density lipoprotein test alongside waist, blood pressure and weight
measurements.
Objectives of Vitality in Action
- Measure the current state of health of Unilever UK employees.
- Design future interventions for all staff.
- Raise awareness of the benefits of a healthy lifestyle.
- Create a Vitality culture for all employees.
Overview and Highlights
The Vitality in Action programme has visited 14 out of 16 UK sites. This will
develop a national health profile for Unilever and identify local health risks
at
each site.
The programme covers:
- A lifestyle related questionnaire on exercise, diet, alcohol consumption and
cigarette smoking
- Heart checks, supported by Unilever nutritionists, who provide follow-up
consultations with employees
- Working more closely with catering teams to promote healthier menus
- Internal communications, using a variety of channels, on Government Health
Promotion programmes e.g. No Smoking Day supporting the forthcoming smoking ban in
England, and the 5-a-day fruit and vegetable scheme
Achievements
Vitality in Action has engaged over 2500 employees to date (43% of UK
workforce). Occupational Health UK, has developed it's own unique Vitality brand, which
has helped employees better engage with health and Vitality.
Trends have been identified across sites and a National Vitality Strategy is
currently under development.
Better business partnerships at sites have been developed. Site managers are now
beginning to better understand the effects of health on work and work on health.
This case study is featured in our booklet Workplace Wellbeing: The Food Industry in Action (pdf, 1.2Mb) . Unilever UK is a member of FDF's Workplace Wellbeing Group.
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Last reviewed: 25 Jun 2008