Gold is great, but platinum is better! So says the American Heart Association in recognizing Fowler White Boggs as a Platinum Level Start! Fit Friendly Company. Fowler White Boggs is the only company in the Tampa Bay area, and one of a handful nationwide, to earn the platinum level designation - the highest honor from the American Heart Association. Fowler White’s Chief Executive Officer, Rhea Law, accepted the award at the 2011 Heart Walk CEO Event held on May 3rd at Tropicana Field. “We are thrilled to have received this recognition from the American Heart Association,” Law said. “The dividends of our wellness program are already starting to pay-off by employees taking a greater interest in their health. For obvious reasons, such programs are a win-win for employees and employers alike.”
Designed to be a catalyst for positive change in American business, the Start! Fit Friendly award recognizes employers who champion the health of their employees by creating a culture of physical activity and wellness within the workplace. To achieve the platinum level status, employers must implement at least nine criteria outlined by the American Heart Association in the areas of physical activity, nutrition and wellness culture, as well as demonstrate measurable outcomes.
As a firm at the forefront of employee wellness, Fowler White Boggs has created innovative programs that support employees in making decisions towards a healthy and balanced life both in and out of the office. In 2011, the Firm announced the “Balanced Benefits” program which offers discounts on health insurance premiums for employees who participate in lifestyle choices that improve their health.
In order to help employees meet their goals, Fowler White has invested in personal health coaches and provides employees with a “Wellness Reimbursement Fund” for purchases that lead to a healthier lifestyle. In addition, on-site boot camp, yoga, massage, healthy vending machine options and “Fruit on Fridays”, provide support, encouragement and accessibility.
American employers face increasing health care expenses and health-related losses in productivity that cost an estimated $225.8 billion a year. Employers spend $12.7 billion in annual medical expenses due to obesity alone. The Start! Fit-Friendly Companies Program offers a unique, easy-to-implement opportunity for corporations to increase employees’ physical activity, which will help improve their health and their employers’ bottom line. For more information about the Start! Fit Friendly Companies Program and how it is helping to improve the health of Americans, visit www.startwalkingnow.org.
Providing comprehensive legal services to our clients for nearly 70 years, Fowler White Boggs is one of Florida’s oldest law firms. Our Firm is internationally connected with a Florida focus with 140 attorneys in five offices located in Tampa, Fort Myers, Tallahassee, Jacksonville, and Fort Lauderdale.
