Thursday, October 20, 2016
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Roper St. Francis Healthcare donates medical supplies to a hospital in Nicaragua receives Gold Apple for implementing a healthy food environment
CHARLESTON, S.C. (Oct. 20, 2016) - Roper St. Francis Healthcare has been recognized by the South Carolina Hospital Association’s Working Well initiative and Prevention Partners for achieving the Gold Apple award.
The Gold Apple is awarded for providing and promoting healthy, affordable and delicious food and beverage options for employees and represents the highest standard of nutrition excellence at the workplace.
“Roper St. Francis Healthcare sets a high bar in terms of their healthy food and beverage options for employees. They provide their employees every opportunity to make a healthy choice in their food venues,” says Taylor Pritchard, strategic coaching senior coordinator at Prevention Partners. “I applaud their commitment.”
In order to receive the Gold Apple recognition, Roper St. Francis Healthcare must provide access to healthy options that are determined by sound nutrition criteria, prices healthy options competitively to motivate purchases, markets healthy food and beverages with icons or other easy-to-read labels, and provides benefits such as nutrition counseling and education to support employees in their health improvement efforts. These are among several evidence-based components recommended by Working Well and Prevention Partners for a healthy food environment at the workplace.
“We constantly are looking for ways to proactively keep our teammates and patients healthy,” said Matt Severance, chief operating officer for Roper St. Francis Healthcare and chief executive officer of Roper Hospital. “It’s exciting to receive this recognition, and we celebrate our teammates in Food and Nutritional Services who have championed this effort. Collectively, we are committed to making Roper St. Francis Healthcare and our broader community a healthier, better place to live.”
Prevention Partners works with the SCHA’s Working Well initiative to engage corporate leaders and staff throughout SC to enhance and sustain employee wellness efforts. These efforts are generously funded through the Duke Endowment.