DS Smith Redditch wins Gold Healthy Heart Mark

DS Smith’s Redditch site has been awarded a prestigious Gold Healthy Heart Mark employer award by national charity, Heart Research UK, for promoting and encouraging healthier lifestyles among its employees.

Heart Research UK’s unique Healthy Heart Mark programme recognises employers’ efforts to improve staff health and wellbeing by introducing heart-healthy initiatives at work. Businesses can work towards the three certificate levels – bronze, silver and gold – by demonstrating how they’re encouraging staff to lead healthier lifestyles.

The packaging company has been awarded a gold award at its Redditch site for rolling out initiatives that support heart health. The new activities include a monthly Healthy Heart Focus including a quiz, together with a weekly healthy breakfast club as well as virtual team challenges such as walking from John O'Groats to Land's End and a Great Wall of China trek.  They have also provided a course in emotional intelligence and stress awareness and are holding an annual stress and wellbeing toolbox talk.

Employees have also been involved in fundraising activities, including an inter-company football tournament and a step-a-thon challenge.

Chris Dove, Managing Director at DS Smith’s Redditch site, said: “New additions such as the Healthy Heart Focus quiz and emotional intelligence courses have been welcomed by all and it’s been great seeing employees encourage one another to lead healthier lives. The healthy heart program has kick-started a company-wide culture change, inspiring everyone to stop and think about their health.”

Simone Hemingway, HR Director for DS Smith’s UK Packaging Division, said: “In the packaging and manufacturing industries, safety is often prioritised above health but we know that a healthy and happy workforce is integral to running a successful business. When we saw how successful the initial pilot program was, we rolled it out to all our sites across the UK. We’re immensely proud of the achievements of our colleagues at the Redditch site and I would urge any team of senior managers who might be considering cutting ‘health in the workplace’ programmes to think again. Invest in health and the benefits will speak for themselves.”

DS Smith offers healthy heart checks at its 31 sites – from Livingston to Launceston – providing staff with the opportunity to discuss their lifestyle habits and have their blood pressure, cholesterol levels, BMI and waist measurements checked.

Heart Research UK funds pioneering medical research into the prevention, treatment and cure of heart disease. The Healthy Heart Mark employer award is an accreditation that shows how an organisation values its workforce and makes positive contributions towards employee health and wellbeing.

Barbara Dinsdale, Head of Lifestyle at Heart Research UK, said: “It’s great to see companies like DS Smith UK Packaging continuing to invest in employee health which not only has a positive impact on employee health but on team spirit too. The benefits for companies signing up to our Healthy Heart Mark employer award scheme, in terms of both health and corporate engagement, extend far beyond the factory gates.”

To find out more about Heart Research UK and healthy heart initiatives in the workplace visit: https://heartresearch.org.uk/.