More than just good business

The Employee Wellbeing Programme (EWP) initiative in Ghana is an innovative example of applying holistic approaches to workplace health in developing countries. It challenges employers and governments to foster healthy lifestyle changes among employees, their families and the nearby community, in addition to more traditional occupational health and safety concerns. Instead of focusing on economically disadvantaged or especially vulnerable populations, the approach concentrates on people who have a job and a regular income (who are among those most affected by many non-communicable diseases), and creates partnerships with employers of significant size and level of technological and administrative advancement. The partner organizations tend to be forward-looking, interested in effective use of their resources, and can act as role models for other organizations. The programme thus has a systemic impact by raising health care standards and injecting greater resources into national health and social protection systems.