10 Companies Recognized in Southern New England as American Heart Association Fit-Friendly Worksites

Worksites take steps to decrease healthcare expenses, increase productivity

(PROVIDENCE, February 17, 2016) – 10 companies in Rhode Island and Southeastern, MA have been recognized as Fit-Friendly Worksites by the American Heart Association for helping employees eat better and move more.

The Fit-Friendly Worksites program is a catalyst for positive change in the American workforce by helping worksites make their employees’ health and well-being a priority.

Platinum-level employers recognized for the November 2015 deadline include: Amica Insurance and Banneker Industries. Platinum-level employers offer employees physical activity options in the workplace, increase healthy eating options at the worksite, promote a wellness culture in the workplace, implement at least nine criteria outlined by the American Heart Association in the areas of physical activity, nutrition and culture, and demonstrate measurable outcomes related to workplace wellness.

AHA Award group photo 2016
Amica Insurance – Platinum Award

AHA Fit Friendly Platinum Award - Banneker 2016
Banneker – Platinum Award

“Wellness plays an important role in Amica’s corporate culture. That’s why we’re honored to be recognized by the American Heart Association as a Platinum-Level Fit-Friendly Worksite for the third consecutive year,” said Robert A. DiMuccio, president, chairman and CEO of Amica Insurance. “Our employees enjoy using the fitness center and outdoor walking trails at the corporate office, and our branch employees also participate in a variety of wellness program.”

Gold-level employers recognized for the November 2015 deadline include: Alex and Ani, Brown University, Hasbro, Hope Global, IGT, Joseph Abboud Manufacturing, Lifespan, and Navigant Credit Union.

Alex and Ani
Alex and Ani – Gold Award

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Brown University – Gold Award

Lifespan
Lifespan – Gold Award

Navigant Credit Union
Navigant Credit Union – Gold Award

American employers are losing an estimated $225.8 billion a year because of healthcare expenses and health-related losses in productivity, and those numbers are rising. Many American adults spend most of their waking hours at sedentary jobs. Their lack of regular physical activity raises their risk for a host of medical problems, such as obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes. Employers face $12.7 billion in annual medical expenses due to obesity alone. The American Heart Association is working to change corporate cultures by motivating employees to start walking, which has the lowest dropout rate of any physical activity.

Recognition is a critical component of the Fit-Friendly Worksites program. Employers that join this program qualify for official recognition by the American Heart Association. They are listed on the program’s national website, and will be honored at the Southern New England Heart Walk on June 5, 2016 in Providence. Qualifying worksites also have the right to use the program’s annual recognition seal for internal communications and with external, recruitment-related communications.

“The Fit-Friendly Worksites Program offers easy-to-implement ways for organizations to help employees eat better and move more, which will help improve their health – and their employer’s bottom line,” said Jessica Granatiero, Chair of the American Heart Association’s Rhode Island Board of Directors. “Even people who haven’t exercised regularly until middle age can reap significant benefits by starting a walking program. A study published in 1986 in the New England Journal of Medicine found that some adults may gain two hours of life expectancy for every hour of regular, vigorous exercise they performed.”

For more information about the Fit-Friendly Worksites program and how it’s helping to improve the health of Americans by focusing on the workplace, call 401-228-2325 or visit www.heart.org/worksitewellness.

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About the American Heart Association

The American Heart Association is devoted to building healthier lives, free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke. Our mission drives everything we do. To improve the lives of all Americans, we provide public health education in a variety of ways. We team with millions of volunteers to fund innovative research, fight for stronger public health policies, and provide lifesaving tools and information to prevent and treat these diseases. The association is the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. To learn more or join us, call 1-800-AHA-USA1 or any of our offices around the country, or visit heart.org. Connect with us locally at www.southernnewengland.heart.org or on social media at www.facebook.com/sneheart or www.twitter.com/sneheart. #SNEHeart

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