Employers face-up to public health responsibilities towards employees

Nearly 400 organisations have pledged their support for the Department of Health’s public health “Responsibility Deal” according to the latest figures.

With ill-health of employees costing the UK economy £100bn a year, the Public Health Responsibility Deal aims to tap into the potential for businesses and other influential organisations to make a significant contribution to improving public health by helping to create healthy work environments and advocating healthy lifestyle and work practices.

Organisations signing up to the Responsibility Deal commit to taking action voluntarily to improve public health through their responsibilities as employers, as well as through their commercial actions and their community activities. Organisations can sign up to be either national or local partners.

The voluntary pledge involves businesses and public-sector bodies promising to take action in four areas: alcohol, food, health at work and physical activity.

It’s not just in the workplace however where action needs to be taken. Public Health England’s Everybody active, every day framework states that:
• Physical inactivity is the fourth largest cause of disease and disability in the UK
• 33% of men and 45% of women are not active enough for good health
• Physical inactivity is costing the UK an estimated £7.4 billion a year

How we go about aligning the public health strategy with the sport and recreation sector is a topic that will be discussed at our upcoming Sports Summit.

Dr Justin Varney, National Lead for Adult Health and Wellbeing at Public Health England, is one of our speakers and will be giving his thoughts on how we can get the nation and workforce active and healthy.

For more information about the Sports Summit, click here.

Share this article:

Back to all news