FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Bill See

Perdue Media Relations
410-341-2412
bill.see@perdue.com

Perdue Farms Honored For Worksite Wellness Achievements

SALISBURY, MD (Friday, July 22, 2016) The Maryland Department of Health and Mental
Hygienes Healthiest Maryland Businesses initiative has presented Perdue Farms a Gold Wellness at Work
award for achievements in improving associates health through the companys innovative Health
Improvement Program (HIP.) Van Mitchell, secretary of the Maryland Department of Health and Mental
Hygiene, presented the award at the recent annual Maryland Workplace Health and Wellness Symposium at
the BWI Marriott in Linthicum Heights.
For us at the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, 'Wellness at Work' constitutes
a Winnable Battle, a means of promoting healthy choices and activity where most Marylanders spend a
large part of their week -- their job, said Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Secretary Van T.
Mitchell. This promotion is an opportunity to recognize the work of employers to foster environments that
make it easier for Marylanders to make those choices that we know can prevent the onset of such chronic
diseases as diabetes, heart disease and stroke.
Perdues Health Improvement Program (HIP), established in 2008, encourages associates to
participate in a voluntary health screening and healthy activities by working with the companys on-site
health care professionals. HIP is a preventative program designed to improve associates health and
wellness by focusing on manageable health risks, including smoking, weight, diabetes, and blood pressure.
The Wellness at Work Awards is sponsored by Healthiest Maryland Businesses, the states
initiative to support healthy workplaces. Employers may earn a Gold, Silver, Bronze or On the Path award.
To be eligible for an award, businesses are required to establish leadership support for wellness, create
wellness committees, survey the needs and interests of their employers, set health improvement goals, and
develop monitoring tools to track outcomes over time.
This year, Perdue accepted the Gold Award after presenting data from at least two years of
demonstrated improvement in three specific health areas: physical activity/weight, hypertension, and
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diabetes. HIP data from January of 2014 to 2016 showed a 9 percent decrease in weight, 60 percent of
hypertensive associates lowered their blood pressure, and about 44 percent of pre-diabetic and diabetic
associates decreased A1C sugar levels.
We are thrilled to receive recognition for our efforts and commitment to providing ongoing
wellness programs to our associates, said Dawn Carey, director of Perdues health and wellness programs.
The true success of this accomplishment is the associates, their engagement, motivation and unwavering
commitment to make behavior modifications and take actionable steps to improve their health and wellbeing. By helping to make the associates aware of their health profile, we can support them in making
positive changes in their lives that will not only affect them, but their families and the communities in
which they live.
Enrollment in HIP has increased about 85 percent since the first year and continues to make an
impact on so many Perdue associates lives, explains Cheryl Stafford, the Corporate Health Strategies
Manager The HIP program is a tremendous benefit to the associates because most chronic conditions do
not have any signs or symptoms but are preventable with lifestyle modifications. Prevention and early
intervention is imperative to living a long and healthy life, she said.
Alongside HIP, Perdue offers on-site health care to its associates through their 19 Wellness Centers
at its major locations. By pairing with local doctors and other healthcare providers, Perdue associates can
receive free preventive screenings as well as schedule medical appointments during regular work hours
while still getting paid. If continued medical care is needed, Wellness Centers provide support for
conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure and asthma, as well as immediate care for infections,
bronchitis, injuries and other medical conditions. Womens health, podiatry and pediatrics are also offered
at the Wellness Centers.
Perdue is one of only a few businesses in the country to offer associates and their dependents
access to low-cost primary care through the fully equipment Wellness Centers staffed by health care
professional from the local community.
It may seem unusual for a food and agriculture company to be in the health business, but we
believe were in the people business first, said Jim Perdue. My Dad always said, if you take care of your
people first, they will take care of the business. Our Wellness Centers and Health Improvement Program
builds upon our companys people-first philosophy.
Caption: Perdue Farms was recently presented with a Gold
Award Wellness at Work award by Van Mitchell, right,
secretary of the Maryland Department of Health and Mental
Hygiene. Cheryl Stafford, the Corporate Health Strategies
Manager, accepted the award on Perdues behalf.

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