The CEO Roundtable on Cancer has accredited Quinnipiac University’s North Haven Campus with the CEO Cancer Gold Standard recognizing its efforts to reduce the risk of cancer for its employees and covered family members.
The CEO Roundtable on Cancer, a nonprofit organization of CEOs based in Cary, North Carolina, and founded by former President George H.W. Bush, created the Gold Standard in collaboration with the National Cancer Institute, many of its designated cancer centers, and other leading health organizations. The Gold Standard requires employers 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.
“Quinnipiac University’s North Haven Campus is leading by example in promoting healthier behavior,” said Christopher A. Viehbacher, chairman of the CEO Roundtable on Cancer. “I hope its vision and commitment to better health will encourage other employers in Connecticut and across all industries and regions to become Gold Standard accredited.”
To earn Gold Standard accreditation, an employer must establish programs to reduce cancer risk by prohibiting tobacco use and supporting tobacco cessation efforts; further encouraging prevention by promoting physical activity, healthy nutrition and weight management; detecting cancer at its earliest stages; and providing access to quality care, including participation in clinical trials. Today, over 4.5 million employees and family members benefiting from the vision and leadership of 179 employers who have chosen to become Gold Standard accredited.
“At Quinnipiac University, wellness matters,” said President John L. Lahey. “Our university-wide initiatives provide employees and their families with support and resources to achieve their own wellness goals. We are especially proud of this prestigious Gold Standard accreditation for our North Haven Campus, which is home to our Center for Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences and our Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine.”
In addition to the NCI and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 16 NCI-designated cancer centers and more than 60 other hospitals have earned Gold Standard accreditation. CEOs from many industries are keenly aware of the life-improving impact they can have on health and controlling health care costs when they address cancer and other chronic diseases. Gold Standard employers include: Avis Budget Group, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Lowe’s, Aetna, State Farm, Hogan Lovells, Dell, Johnson & Johnson, Novartis, SAS and many Blue Cross affiliates.