A Wheel of Health with Petra Majdič, healthy smooties and a funny hike

The activities during the Be Healthy Celebration Week are designed so as to encompass all four pillars of the Be Healthy initiative (move, choose, know, manage) and therefore help to comprehensively address the health of employees. Through this week, the employees can participate in organized sports activities, lectures and training sessions for a healthier lifestyle during work hours. The topics are diverse and everyone can find something for himself/herself and designed so that they are informative and entertaining at the same time.

Once again, Petra Majdič, our Olympic medallist, joined the associates in Slovenia as a Healthy Living Ambassador, who with her immense energy always creates a good mood. This time she is spinning the Wheel of Health with us. »First year we were exercising, two years ago we were cooking, last year we learned nordic walking and this year we are spinning a Wheel of Health. The response from the employees is always good and I am happy to take part in this project because it brings results. People come, ask questions, participate, exchange experience, seek new ways to even better look after their health. The Be Healthy initiative and Be Healthy Celebration Week are excellent examples of how a company looks after the well-being of its employees« Petra Majdič pointed out.

Much attention is being paid to healthy eating and above all how to prepare food in a simple way. This time they are preparing, together with a renowned Slovenian expert, fresh smoothies and learn about the right combination of ingredients. Tomaž Vozelj, a renowned chef, is sharing healthy cooking tricks with them. They have healthy meals waiting for them in canteen, prepared in cooperation with a nutritionist.

The first aid courses are very well attended which proves that awareness of the importance of timely help when needed, is extremely high among associates of Lek, a Sandoz company. As a part of these courses, the use of automated defibrillators is being taught. On all four Sandoz locations across Slovenia there are 8 such defibrillators.

When caring for health it is very important to know your body, therefore free measurements of key numbers are available for the employees throughout this week. A doctor is measuring their body mass index, cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar and intra-ocular pressure.

As every year, the Be Healthy Celebration Week will be concluded with a hike. This year it will be additionally spiced up by famous Slovenian stand-up comedians who are coming along to join in. The employees from Ljubljana and Mengeš will be accompanied by Petra Majdič and Miha Brajnik. Martina Ipša will entertain the employees at the Lendava site and Matjaž Javšnik will encourage the employees from the Prevalje site.

About the Novartis global Be Healthy initiative

Caring for the health and quality of life of its employees is one of the key Novartis policies and a natural extension of the company purpose “caring and curing”. To that end, Novartis launched four years ago the internal initiative Be Healthy with which it wants to encourage the employees to take an active role in managing their own health. The global Be Healthy initiative is dedicated to all Novartis affiliates’ employees and it is being implemented throughout the whole year.

In Be Healthy, Novartis focuses on preventative programs as statistical data from the World Economic Forum (WEF) show that workplace health and well-being programs addressing lifestyle changes can help prevent up to 40% of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as cardiovascular disease, cancer and lung disorders. The World Health Organization recently announced a new target to reduce NCDs worldwide by 25% by 2025. The Be Healthy initiative is Novartis’ contribution towards this objective.

Be Healthy has a broad reach within Novartis. When it was launched in 2011, 76 of the largest Novartis sites across 32 countries were involved in the program reaching 80% of affiliates’ associates. This year, the initiative is being carried out in more than 176 sites in more than 50 countries across the world, 95% of employees are included in the program.