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UNUMPROVIDENT MAINTAINS LEAD IN GROUP, INDIVIDUAL DISABILITY INCOME
PROTECTION
UnumProvident Among 22 Companies Recognized for Combating Obesity
and Promoting Healthy Workplace
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (June 21, 2005) – The National Business
Group on Health, a national non-profit organization, today honored
UnumProvident Corporation (NYSE: UNM) for its commitment and dedication to
combating obesity and promoting a healthy lifestyle for its employees.
UnumProvident was among 22 employers who received the “Best Employers for
Healthy Lifestyles” award at the Obesity Leadership Summit sponsored by the
Business Group’s Institute on the Costs and Health Effects of Obesity. The
company received a Gold Award for its commitment to proactively addressing the
health and welfare of its employees.
“We are committed to managing the rising cost of health care by supporting
programs that help promote a greater understanding of what a healthy lifestyle
looks like," said Eileen Farrar, senior vice president of Human Resources for
UnumProvident. “We believe that high quality health care includes an
educational dimension, and UnumProvident can help actively educate our
employees so they can take a more proactive approach to managing their health.”
UnumProvident’s aims to be employees’ principal source for tools, programs and
resources that support individual efforts to use health care effectively and
efficiently. These goals are achieved through:
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Health Resource Centers (HRCs) at the company’s main campuses that offer
classes and counseling for employees on nutrition, self-care and other healthy
lifestyle practices. Nurses at each HRC provide limited medical assistance
including conducting health screenings and administering flu and allergy shots.
They also refer employees to health-related resources and programs as
necessary.
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Significant changes to the menus at the company’s four cafeterias. The
cafeterias now offer more health-conscious choices and a variety of food
choices to meet various dietary needs of employees. Developing awareness about
nutrition has helped stimulate employee demand for healthy meal choices.
Healthy choices are also available in vending machines.
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Partnership with the company’s health care insurer, Anthem Blue Cross Blue
Shield, to introduce a Health Management Tool that provides a personalized
report about each employee’s health. The health risk assessment helps employees
and their doctors determine the potential risks for certain medical conditions
and identifies ways to improve health.
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An overall communications strategy dedicated to educating employees about the
company’s benefit programs stresses the importance of physical activity and
good nutrition. In addition to explaining the resources the company provides,
the company’s communications stress the individual accountability employees
have relative to rising health care costs.
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Other programs and services including on-site fitness facilities at four
company locations; an employee assistance program with a variety of information
on health-related topics; a healthy living e-newsletter; and periodic campaigns
focused on weight reduction, physical activity and overall well-being.
“We are very pleased to honor UnumProvident for achieving these high standards
and successfully implementing a lifestyle improvement program designed to
reduce obesity and encourage healthier living for their employees,” said Helen
Darling, president of the Business Group. “UnumProvident’s leaders are
visionaries and know how critical it is that they support their employees’
efforts to choose healthier lifestyles.”
The Best Employers for Healthy Lifestyles awards program was created by the
Institute on the Costs and Health Effects of Obesity to honor those who
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; the awards also serve as a channel
for sharing and comparing successful interventions, programs and services.
Winners of the “Best Employers for Healthy Lifestyle” 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. For more information, visit
http://www.businessgrouphealth.org.
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