INTEGRIS Named Health Champion by American Diabetes Association

The American Diabetes Association® (Association) today announced INTEGRIS, Disability Determination Division, Groendyke Transport, Inc. and ONEOK from Oklahoma have been designated Health Champions as part of the Association’s Wellness Lives HereTM initiative. This designation recognizes companies and organizations that are committed to improving employee health and inspire and encourage wellness programs in the workplace.
“Our mission at INTEGRIS is to improve the health of the people and communities we serve, but we can’t successfully do that if we don’t practice what we preach. If we as health care providers don’t adopt a healthy lifestyle, how can we instruct our patients to do so?” asks Bruce Lawrence, president and chief executive officer of INTEGRIS. “We began the Employee Wellness Program at INTEGRIS nearly 20 years ago as an attempt to encourage and incentivize healthy behaviors among our employees and their families. It’s a commitment that continues today and we see it as an investment in our future. In order to reverse the many negative health trends that plague our state and our country, we need to serve as role-models and ‘be the change’ we hope to see. The recognition as a Health Champion by the American Diabetes Association is proof we are moving the needle in the right direction.”
To qualify for the Health Champion Designation, companies and organizations must meet healthy living criteria in three areas: Nutrition and Weight Management, Physical Activity, and Organizational Well-Being. There are three application cycles annually.
“For most Americans, the majority of our days are spent working sedentary jobs, so it’s more important than ever for our workplaces to encourage healthful habits,” said Alicia McAuliffe-Fogarty, PhD, CPsychol, vice president of lifestyle management for the American Diabetes Association. “Our Wellness Lives Here initiative is designed to provide employers across the country with a roadmap for promoting heathy habits, and we are pleased to see so many employers working to earn a Health Champion Designation.”
“We’re excited about the culture of wellness Oklahoma’s new designees have implemented in their workplaces,” Charles Brown II, Executive Director for Oklahoma and Kansas. “These organizations had to meet extensive criteria with their applications to receive this designation. Our community is strongest when it’s healthy—everyone benefits when companies provide access to healthier food choices, promote physical activity and encourage healthy habits at work and beyond.”
A complete list of the Health Champion Designees can be found at diabetes.org/healthchampions.