Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., the largest U.S. subsidiary of Boehringer Ingelheim Corporation, based in Ridgefield, CT, is leading by example when it comes to promoting workplace wellness and encouraging healthier behavior. The CEO Roundtable on Cancer has awarded Boehringer Ingelheim with CEO Cancer Gold StandardTM accreditation for its efforts to reduce the risk of cancer for its employees and covered family members by promoting healthy lifestyle choices, encouraging early detection through cancer screenings, and ensuring access to quality treatment.
"Our Gold Standard certification acknowledges the personal leadership of President and CEO Paul Fonteyne and recognizes that Boehringer Ingelheim's efforts to improve health begin with the company's own employees and their family members," said Christopher A. Viehbacher, chief executive officer of Sanofi and chairman of the CEO Roundtable on Cancer.
The CEO Roundtable on Cancer, a nonprofit organization of CEOs founded by former President George H.W. Bush, created the CEO Cancer Gold Standard in collaboration with the National Cancer Institute, many of its designated cancer centers, and leading nonprofit, health organizations. The Gold Standard calls for companies to evaluate their health benefits and corporate culture and take extensive, concrete actions in five key areas of health and wellness to reduce the risk of cancer in the workplace.
"We are truly honored to receive this Gold Standard certification to acknowledge our company-wide efforts to make wellness an integral part of our culture and fight cancer in the workplace," said Paul Fonteyne, President and CEO, Boehringer Ingelheim USA Corporation. "In addition to our efforts at home, we are committed to bringing more health to the oncology community, from our research and development of innovative cancer treatments to resources and initiatives that provide education and support to patients, caregivers and healthcare professionals."
To earn Gold Standard accreditation, a company must establish programs to reduce cancer risk by discouraging tobacco use; encouraging physical activity; promoting healthy diet and nutrition; detecting cancer at its earliest stages; and providing access to quality care, including participation in clinical trials. Today, over four million employees and family members are benefiting from the vision and leadership of the nearly 160 employers who have chosen to become Gold Standard accredited.
In addition to the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), fifteen NCI-designated cancer centers and over forty other hospitals and medical centers have earned Gold Standard accreditation. CEOs from across industries are keenly aware of the tremendous impact they can have in improving health, controlling health care costs and making a difference beyond their organization's walls in the effort to address cancer and other chronic diseases. Other Gold Standard employers include insurers like Aetna, Cigna, State Farm and several Blue Cross affiliates; law firms, such as Hogan Lovells and Jenner & Block; technology companies such as Dell and SAS Institute; and a range of leading employers including American Century Investments, Johnson & Johnson and Lowe's.
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