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Top companies ink commitment to corporate wellnessT

Published:Sunday | August 19, 2018 | 12:00 AM
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CEOs, managing directors, and company representatives took turns signing both sneakers to signal their commitment to continuing a corporate wellness programme within their individual company and to Jamaica Moves.
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Nari Williams-Singh, director general of the Jamaica Civil Aviation Authority (JCAA), does the symbolic signing of the shoe signalling Wisynco's commitment to continuing a corporate wellness programme within the company.
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Some of the island's corporate entities recently inked commitments to the Jamaica Moves programme, signalling that ensuring the health (physical, emotional, and psychological) of their employees is among the priorities for their companies.

The signing, which took place on August 10 at JN Fund Managers, was part of the celebration for the 19 corporate companies and in excess of 1,500 employees who participated in the Jamaica Moves Corporate Challenge Circuit II.

Having executed two circuits since the start of the Jamaica Moves campaign, the response from company employees has grown. The challenge of focusing these companies on eating healthy and living a healthier and more active lifestyle has been used to encourage their leaders to provide more health opportunities.

CEOs, directors and other company representatives from the 19 corporate entities in the second circuit, as well as year-one partners of the campaign, made a commitment to the health and wellness of their employees through the signing of a symbolic Jamaica Moves dubbed shoe.

In addition, the National Health Fund has committed to hosting health fairs at all 19 companies, providing employees with free blood-pressure, blood-cholesterol, blood-sugar, BMI, and haemoglobin tests. The employees will also benefit from after-work workout sessions intended to encourage at least 30 minutes of physical activity each day.

"It is our hope that these corporate companies will be examples for other companies and will continue these wellness programmes and set internal policies to ensure that the health of each employee is put first," said Health Minister Dr Christopher Tufton, while speaking to the awardees from the 19 companies in the Corporate Challenge Circuit II, who were celebrating their hard work and efforts.

Jamaica Moves is the country's coordinated national response to the increased incidence of NCDs. Through education, engagement and the building of supportive environments, the programme hopes to reduce NCDs by 25 per cent by the year 2025.

Year one of the programme was fuelled by partnership with Jamaica National Group, Chase Fund, the RJRGLEANER Communications Group, the National Health Fund, National Baking Company, WATA and the Heart Foundation of Jamaica.