Member Article

Primula bag Better Health at Work Award

Primula has been awarded gold status from the Better Health at Work Award (BHAWA) for the North East region, recognising efforts to develop and embed a sustainable culture of health and wellbeing in the workplace.

Primula’s employees were asked which health issues they’d like more information about, with stress, cancer awareness and healthy eating coming top. With this knowledge, Primula implemented a number of events and activities throughout 2014 involving staff, their families and the wider community to address this, including a Mini Cancer Roadshow, a Love Your Liver campaign and raising awareness for the GroceryAid helpline, a national charity which supports people who are working, or have worked in the grocery industry.

Primula was awarded Gold status having successfully met the specific criteria for the Better Health At Work Award. Part of the Gold level criteria asks companies to also look outside their own organisation and promote health to the wider community, the Company also implemented a three-year health strategy offering annual health checks for employees, running workplace health campaigns, sharing good practice and ideas with other organisations, and promoting the benefits of workplace health.

Paul Lewney, managing director of Primula, said: “These activities are not only informative and educational; they raise awareness while still being fun and engaging. They bring staff together from across the business, regardless of their roles, and this positivity is then shared wider with family and friends.

“We’re very proud to have achieved the Gold status and will continue to deliver activities and campaigns focussed on both physical and mental health as part of Primula’s company culture.”

Beth Farhat, regional secretary of the Northern TUC which coordinates the Award and verifies all Award assessment achievements, said: “The calibre of assessments in 2014 was extremely high and it is apparent that those who participate in the Award take the health and wellbeing of their workforce very seriously and regard staff as exactly what they should be – any organisation’s largest and most valuable asset.

Primula clearly demonstrates an ongoing passion and commitment to health and wellbeing in the workplace, from both management and Health Advocates alike. It’s this enthusiasm which makes workplace health and wellbeing programmes like the Award so successful, with real on-the-ground benefits for employees and employers.

“Well done Primula, I hope more and more employers follow your brilliant example.”

The North East’s Better Health at Work Award, a partnership between all 12 Local Authorities in the region and the Northern TUC, recognises the efforts of local employers in addressing health issues within the workplace and encourages businesses to promote healthy lifestyles and consider the health of its employees. The award recognises the achievements of these organisations and helps them move forward in a structured and supported way.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Primula Cheese .