The Healthy Business Council of Ohio (HBCO) will recognize 73 Ohio employers for healthy worksite practices during the 14th annual Healthy Worksite awards presentation on Jan. 25.

These awards recognize Ohio employers who demonstrate a commitment to employee wellness through comprehensive worksite health promotion and wellness programs. Applicants are scored on the extent their wellness programs facilitate and encourage employee health, enhance productivity and ensure a healthy work environment.

A Gold Award was earned by American Showa, Inc., which has a Blanchester manufacturing facility. American Showa is one of 16 companies honored in the Medium Business category of 301-1,000 employees.

Others Gold Award honorees will be Grange Insurance, NK Parts Industries, Inc., Ohio Public Employees Retirement System and Pickaway County Commissioners.

Silver Award winners are the City of Dublin, City of Westerville, Community Hospitals and Wellness Centers, Equity Trust Company, MillerCoors Trenton Brewery, MS Consultants, Inc., Summit County Developmental Disabilities Board and Wood County Hospita.

Bronze Award winners are Automated Packaging Systems, Eliza Jennings Sr. Care Network and Maumee City Schools.

“Wellness programs are effective tools to engage employees in a more productive culture,” David Cowden, Chair of HBCO said. These programs most importantly help employees become healthier and happier, but also help drive down healthcare costs while driving up the bottom line.”

All worksites, large and small, public and private, for profit and nonprofit, are eligible to apply for the Healthy Worksite Award. All applications were reviewed and evaluated using objective criteria. Three levels of achievement were awarded — Gold, Silver and Bronze.

Other applicants, who meet basic criteria, received a Recognition award. Increasing the number of worksites receiving awards is an objective in Ohio’s Plan to Prevent and Reduce Chronic Disease: 2014-2018, an objective being led by HBCO.

The ceremony will be held at 12:30 p.m. Jan. 25 at the Nationwide Hotel and Conference Center in Columbus as part of the Health Action Council 2018 Columbus Symposium. The symposium features national experts on health reform, health care systems and health benefits.

For more information on the Healthy Worksite Award program, visit www.healthy.ohio.gov/HOBC.