CIGNA Spain Awarded Top Workplace Health Prize

PHILADELPHIA.- CIGNA Spain (NYSE:CI) was awarded the prestigious NAOS Prize for having the best health promotion program at the workplace. The award-winning program, CIGNA Plusvita, is a new health management program for the Spanish market and also available to CIGNA Spain employees, designed to improve productivity and job satisfaction while reducing absence from sickness and voluntary turnover. The NAOS Prize is a government initiative launched by Spain’s Ministry of Health in 2004 to promote programs and policies for improving nutritional habits and regular physical activity across the country.

CIGNA Spain has 300 employees who serve 1,000 corporate clients from offices in Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Malaga and Murcia. The company launched Plusvita in December 2007 to integrate employee health status with productivity, short-term disability, and voluntary turnover. The cornerstone of the program is CIGNA’s health risk assessment, which provides employees with a personal health and well-being report showing that many employees need nutritional balance and exercise.

In response, CIGNA Plusvita implemented several initiatives, including an eight-week information program on nutrition and activity that included online communications, support tools such as water bottles and pedometers, workshops on weight management and healthy eating, and free physical activity classes such as yoga and cardio boxing. The program also instituted permanent improvements including free fruit in the office, healthy food in the vending machines, and discounts on sports clubs, massages, and other health and fitness amenities.

“CIGNA Plusvita has contributed to reducing the risk of chronic health conditions, heart disease and cancers,” said Ana Lorenzo, CIGNA Spain country manager. “We couldn’t be more pleased that we are able to help our employees lead healthier lives.” The program accomplished several improvements in 12 months:

* Overall health and well-being status improved by 16.2 percent
* Productivity increased by 11.6 percent
* Poor nutrition was reduced by 60 percent
* Employees’ consumption of fiber, fruits and vegetables nearly doubled
* Physical activity increased by 7 percent

“It is our mission to help the people we serve improve their health and well-being, and we are proud to have won this prize to show that our approach works with our own employees. We will continue our commitment to good health for our own workforce and our customers,” Lorenzo said.