Best Health Care Workplace Programs From U.S. Retail Industry Employers

Each year since 2005 the The National Business Group on Health has published the "Best Employers for Healthy Lifestyles" list which acknowledges U.S. companies for "advancing creative and comprehensive solutions to improve employee health, productivity and well-being."

The list of companies recognized has grown each year, and the award winners go through a rigorous application and screening process. The "Best Employers for Healthy Lifestyles" list is divided into three categories, Platinum, Gold, and Silver, with the following qualifications applied to each.

Platinum Award Level of Best Employers for Healthy Lifestyles

To be considered for the Platinum award level of the Best Employers for Health Lifestyle annual list, a U.S. company must have and show proof of the following:

• Healthy weight and lifestyle programs and cultures
• Reporting and measurements of health and lifestyle programs
• Health programs in operation for at least 3 years
• Continuous innovation of health-related programs
• Case studies of health program benefits and effectiveness

Gold Award Level of Best Employers for Healthy Lifestyles

To be considered for the Gold award level of the Best Employers for Health Lifestyle annual list, a U.S. company must have and show proof of the following:

• Support for employees to make long-term behavioral changes for a healthy lifestyle
• Healthy dining and physical activity options
• A variety of health communications
• Health programs and incentives that reach employees and their families at all levels of the organization
• All Silver level requirements have also been filled

Silver Award Level of Best Employers for Healthy Lifestyles

To be considered for the Silver award level of the Best Employers for Health Lifestyle annual list, a U.S. company must have and show proof of the following:

• High-level executive support for health programs
• A dedicated steering committee or team to advance health programs and initiatives
• Data and analysis of health risk assessment
• Healthy weight and lifestyle programs and services
• Established programs that are not in a pilot phase

Based on these requirements, companies were evaluated for inclusion on the annual Employers for Health Lifestyles list. What follows is the list of companies from the U.S. retail industry that were included on the list in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009.

2009 Best Employers for Healthy Lifestyles Winners (out of 63 companies recognized)

Platinum Level Winners:

• Dell

Gold Level Winners:

• Chrysler
• CVS Caremark
• Sprint
• Verizon
• Wal-Mart

Silver Level Winners:

• Lowe's
• Target
• Home Depot

2008 Best Employers for Healthy Lifestyles Winners (out of 52 companies recognized)

Gold Level Winners:

• Chrysler
• Sprint
• Wal-Mart

Silver Level Winners:

• CVS Caremark
• Target
• Verizon

2007 Best Employers for Healthy Lifestyles Winners (out of 41 companies recognized)

Platinum Level Winners:

• Dell

Gold Level Winners:

• H-E-B

Silver Level Winners:

• JCPenney
• Sprint Nextel
• Target
• Verizon
• Wal-Mart

2006 Best Employers for Healthy Lifestyles Winners (out of 33 companies recognized)

Silver Level Winners:

• CVS
• Target

2005 Best Employers for Healthy Lifestyles Winners (out of 21 companies recognized)

Gold Level Winners:

• Dell

One interesting thing to note is that Wendy's is represented on the organization's Board of Directors, but it has not been recognized on the organization's annual Healthy Lifestyles award list since it was first compiled in 2005.

About the National Business Group on Health:

The National Business Group on Health is a non-profit organization that focuses on health care issues pertaining to larger employers in the U.S. Some of the issues the National Business Group and its members address are:

• The effect of high health care costs on global competitiveness
• Uneven health care benefits
• The best health care in the world that is inaccessible to millions
• The impact of improper health care and medical mistakes on employees
• Solutions to health care quality, safety, and cost challenges
• Effective communication with policymakers and legislators about employer-sponsored health care issues