Jeff Harris, director of the UW Health Promotion Research Center (HPRC), recently kicked off the CEOs Against Cancer Challenge, a collaboration between the American Cancer Society and HPRC's Workplace Solutions wellness program. It will track the efforts of large Washington employers to provide evidence-based interventions designed to reduce cancer and improve the health of their employees.
To date, participating organizations include:
- Aboda
- Air Van Lines, Inc.
- Alaska Air Group
- Bank of the Pacific
- Columbia Banking System
- F5 Networks
- Harrison Medical Center
- Holland America Line, Inc.
- JP Morgan Chase, PNW
- Puget Sound Business Journal
- Puget Sound Energy
- Regence Blue Shield
- Savers, Inc.
- TrueBlue, Inc.
- United Parcel Service
- University of Washington
- UW Medicine
- Washington Athletic Club
CEOs were given five categories from which to choose a focus area for their challenge: cancer screening, healthy eating, physical activity, tobacco cessation, and American Cancer Society fundraising. The company's starting point is benchmarked, and progress tracked over time. CEOs will receive recommendations of programs and policies they can put in place to improve scores within their company's focus areas.
"We'll be able to periodically measure the progress of these Washington State Challenge participants, and eventually compare to others across the country," Harris said. "The Challenge is a great opportunity for CEOs to lead the way in helping their employees reduce cancer and chronic disease—which also has the potential to reduce corporate expenditures."
Marlana Kohn and Amanda Parrish are on the research team.