Description
The Lombardy Workplace Health Promotion Network (WHP) involved 301 workplaces, employing over 137 000 persons as of November 2014. It is a public-private network, carried out by building partnerships and collaboration with all workplace main stakeholders: associations of enterprises, trade unions, and the regional health system.
The development of this Italian pilot project started in 2011 in Bergamo, by identifying and selecting good practices, and by experimenting the feasibility and effectiveness in two mid-sized companies before extending the project to other companies. A system of accreditation was later defined. Member companies should implement good practice activities over three years and four new activities every year to maintain the "Workplace Health Promotion Site"- logo. The areas of good practice were: nutrition, tobacco, physical activity, road safety, alcohol and substances, and well-being.
The major aims of the project were: improvement in work organization and working environment; encouragement for staff to take part in healthy activities; promotion of healthy choices; encouragement of personal development (empowerment).
Results and impact
At the end of 2014 the network engaged 301 companies and a total of 139,186 employees. From 2013 to 2014 the regional increase was equal to 103% in relation to the number of companies and 132% in relation to the number of employees. Basing on the last survey (31.12.2015) a total of 374 companies and 178.599 workers were actively involved in the Programme.
The chosen interventions and strategies influenced multiple levels of the organization including the individual employee and the organization as a whole. The one year Bergamo impact evaluation showed that after 12 months there was a reduction in some important risk factors for chronic diseases in workers participating in the programme, particularly for fruit and vegetable intake and smoking cessation.
The innovative practice has already been transferred in other locations or regions on a national scale. On a higher level, the methodological approach provided by Lombardy WHP Network can be transferred to other regions to strengthen competence and awareness about the feasibility of actions involving employers, workers, etc.
Type of activity
Programmes promoting activity
HEPA in labour policies and practices
Place: Lombardy, Italy
Territorial level: Regional
Organizer: Lombardy Region public authorities
Source: http://chrodis.eu | https://ec.europa.eu/