National Business Group on Health Honors General Mills As One of Best Employers for Healthy Lifestyles

General Mills Earns Gold Award for Workplace Wellness Programs.

The National Business Group on Health, a nonprofit organization of 266 large employers, today honored General Mills for its commitment and dedication to combating obesity and promoting a healthy lifestyle for its employees.

General Mills was among 41 employers who received the “Best Employers for Healthy Lifestyles” award at the Leadership Summit sponsored by the Business Group’s Institute on the Costs and Health Effects of Obesity. General Mills’ 2007 Gold Award recognizes the company for creating cultural and environmental changes to support employees committed to long-term behavior changes. General Mills received a Silver Award in 2006.

“This national recognition affirms the more than 20-year commitment General Mills has had to providing education and activities to keep employees positively engaged in their own wellness,” said Dr. Timothy Crimmins, vice president for health, safety and environment at General Mills. “Personally motivating employees with programs that speak to their individual lifestyles is important. That’s why we offer our employees a variety of services like personalized health risk assessments, subsidized memberships at local health clubs, and a companywide influenza vaccination program. Our goal is to help employees achieve their personal health goals in every way we can.”

The company offers a broad spectrum of health education and wellness programs, preventive care, and medical treatment. One of the most successful programs, TriHealthalon, was designed to create a healthier work environment for General Mills sales employees. The program has successfully reduced cholesterol and smoking rates and increased activity levels and seat belt usage for participants over a 20-year period.

Another example is General Mills’ wellness program for corporate headquarters employees, Total You. Total You gives employees convenient access to services that enhance both health and quality of life, such as an on-site fitness center, healthy cooking classes and same-day medical appointments at the company’s health services department.

In 2004, General Mills’ in-house health services staff developed the General Mills Health Number screening tool. This personalized health risk assessment can help employees identify health risks, motivate healthy lifestyle changes and learn about health and wellness resources.

“We are very pleased to honor General Mills for their support and dedication to providing lifestyle improvement programs designed to reduce obesity and promote healthier lifestyles for their employees,” said Helen Darling, president of the National Business Group on Health. “General Mills knows the importance of supporting their employees’ efforts to choose a healthier way of life.”

Now in its third year, the Best Employers for Healthy Lifestyles awards acknowledge and reward those employers that recognize the urgent need to improve their workers’ health, productivity and quality of life. The underlying goal of the program is to serve as a catalyst to encourage all employers to take action.

Winners of the Best Employers for Healthy Lifestyles awards were honored in one of three categories: Platinum, for established programs with measurable outcomes; Gold, for creating cultural and environmental changes that support employees who have made a commitment to long-term behavior changes; and Silver, for those employers who have launched significant programs or services to promote living a healthier lifestyle.