2013-02-20 14:02:43 -

Tracy Kolbe-Alexander, a senior lecturer at the University of Cape Town, South Africa, is among renowned health experts from five continents who will serve as judges for the first Global Healthy Workplace Awards and Summit. Amid an aging global workforce and the increasing costs and productivity declines that stem from poor health, the Awards and Summit is a search for the healthiest workplaces in the world – those where programs and practices are making the biggest impact on the health and well-being of employees and their surrounding communities.

Sponsored by the Cigna Foundation, The Global Healthy Workplace Awards and Summit will be held April 10-12 in London at the Waldorf Hotel.
Worldwide workplace health program submissions are being reviewed by the international panel of health leaders. The judges will recognize the healthiest workplaces that other employers can learn from and replicate in their own environment.

"Protecting and promoting health at the workplace has moved beyond addressing the HIV/AIDS crisis: employers have started to develop more comprehensive health and well-being programs designed to lessen the burden of chronic diseases linked to lifestyle," Ms. Kolbe-Alexander said.

Other judges include Annie Ling, director, Adult Health Division, Health Promotion Board, Ministry of Health, Singapore; Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association, and Alberto Ogata of Brazil, president of the Brazilian Association of Quality of Life.

For the first time, the basis for the awards criteria will be the World Health Organization (WHO) Healthy Workplace Framework, which is specifically targeted to employers worldwide and intended to create greater awareness of workplace health and encourage workplaces to implement programs following the WHO model. The WHO model covers four main avenues of influence: physical work environment, psychosocial work environment, personal health resources and enterprise-community involvement. Awards will be given in three categories: large employers, small and medium-sized enterprises and organizations that excel in one of the four areas of the Healthy Workplace model.

The Global Healthy Workplace Awards and Summit is being hosted by the Global Knowledge Exchange Network (GKEN) in association with two international organizations with extensive health experience, International Health Consulting and i-genius. GKEN represents a global network of business and government executives focused on exchanging knowledge about better health systems practices. International Health Consulting provides specialist advice on workplace health with a focus on multi-national employers. With members in more than 200 countries, i-genius is a world community of social entrepreneurs.

For more information, go to www.globalhealthyworkplace.com : cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww ..



About the Cigna Foundation

The Cigna Foundation is a private foundation funded by contributions from Cigna Corporation (NYSE: CI) and its subsidiaries. The Cigna Foundation supports organizations sharing its commitment to enhancing the health of individuals and families, and the well-being of their communities, with a special focus on those communities where Cigna employees live and work.


About Cigna

Cigna Corporation (NYSE: CI) is a global health service company dedicated to helping people improve their health, well-being and sense of security. All products and services are provided exclusively through operating subsidiaries of Cigna Corporation, including Connecticut General Life Insurance Company, Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company, Life Insurance Company of North America and Cigna Life Insurance Company of New York. Such products and services include an integrated suite of health services, such as medical, dental, behavioral health, pharmacy and vision care benefits, and other related products including group disability, life, and accident coverage. Cigna has sales capability in 30 countries and jurisdictions, with approximately 70 million customer relationships throughout the world. To learn more about Cigna®, including links to follow us on Facebook or Twitter, visit www.cigna.com : cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww .. .

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Media:Cigna CorporationGloria Barone, 215-761-4758 Gloria.barone@cigna.com : mailto:Gloria.barone@cigna.com