If you missed the Healthy Caribbean 2008 Conference, you have come to the right place.On Saturday, October 18 we featured the first of three delegates, a Jamaican, who willingly shared her impressions of the conference and the fascinating story of how they are leveraging the world's fastest man, Usain Bolt, in the fight against CNDCs.
Today we share the comments of Candice Lawrence of the Trinidad-based Caribbean Association of Industry and Commerce (CAIC), who gave us a private sector perspective on the conference.
"I was really impressed with the organization of the conference. The materials were relevant, the data was accurate and there was a good mix of workshops and presentations."
While she lamented the fact that the conference agenda was a bit packed leaving herself and others visibly tired, she decided that generally she enjoyed it and looked forward to returning to next year's.
"There was a good mix of public and private sector and civil society participation", she added with the enthusiasm of a true networker.
So, one might ask, how will the CAIC download the concepts discussed at the conference into their member organizations and by extension, how will they get them to act on the knowledge they are about to receive?
"We are the private sector representative for the Caribbean and we have worked with PAHO in the past and we're basically rallying private sector behind the fight against CNCDs.
"Some organizations already have workplace wellness programs but you don't want people just going for counseling but to reward participation in physical activities, e.g. sports days."
"The challenge is how to find a way to reward employees for staying healthy. Also, if you don't have the buy-in of the CEO it is unlikely to get implemented. It also comes down to how you sell it. We want people, not concentrating on 'taking all 15 sick days' but on 'we want you to be healthy for the next 15+ years'".
The latter drives home a crucial point: companies often take on the personality of their CEO and hence it is that persons who sets the agenda for the organization.
With the increasing acceptance of the importance of a holistic marketing strategy that includes clear stances on corporate social responsibility, we strongly believe that unlike you menu of charities or causes you may choose to support, CNDCs ought to be on the agenda of all companies.
The fact is that we are losing more of our family members, colleagues, friends and loved ones to these lifestyle illnesses than any other causes and in the words of Professor, Trevor Hassell, "we cannot afford to not afford" to join this fight.
What about your company? Do you yet have an agenda encouraging prevention or even management of CNDCs? What creative tactics are is your organization using to tackle the fight against CNDCs in the workplace?
The latter drives home a crucial point: companies often take on the personality of their CEO and hence it is that persons who sets the agenda for the organization.
With the increasing acceptance of the importance of a holistic marketing strategy that includes clear stances on corporate social responsibility, we strongly believe that unlike you menu of charities or causes you may choose to support, CNDCs ought to be on the agenda of all companies.
The fact is that we are losing more of our family members, colleagues, friends and loved ones to these lifestyle illnesses than any other causes and in the words of Professor, Trevor Hassell, "we cannot afford to not afford" to join this fight.
What about your company? Do you yet have an agenda encouraging prevention or even management of CNDCs? What creative tactics are is your organization using to tackle the fight against CNDCs in the workplace?
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