The Cigna Foundation is making workplace wellness a priority for its World of Difference grants outside the United States, viewing workplaces as an entry point to helping people navigate their health and improve their wellness worldwide, the foundation announced this week.
The Cigna Foundation is seeking grant, sponsorship and thought leadership opportunities related to workplace health and wellness in the Middle East, India, Africa, Europe and China, and is looking for nonprofit partners that can use funding and the help of Cigna professionals and volunteers to support their programs.
“We chose workplace wellness as our global giving priority to reach as many people as we can, as we believe that the most efficient way to have impact on a large scale is through the world’s employers,” David Figliuzzi, executive director of the Cigna Foundation, said in the release. “Through this work, we can help improve wellness among the global workforce, and drive better health for communities worldwide.”
As a first step, the Cigna Foundation awarded a $50,000 World of Difference grant to Ashoka, a global nonprofit building a Workforce Wellness Collaborative Innovation Lab in India. Ashoka is starting with low-income workers in physically stressful conditions where there is a high incidence of workplace absenteeism because of accidents, illness and related conditions – and where improvements can make a rapid impact, the foundation said.
Ashoka’s program, delivered at the work site, will provide health assessments, pay for treatment and support behavior change for healthy lifestyles. Success will be measured in health improvement and workplace productivity, reduced absenteeism, fewer accidents and employee retention.
