Cope Plastics deemed health award winner
Cope Plastics’ Wellness Committee receives the Business Health Award from OSF Saint Anthony’s President and CEO Ajay Pathak and COO Sr. M. Anselma.
From Illinois Business Journal news services
ALTON – OSF Saint Anthony’s Foundation announced Friday that Cope Plastics Inc. is the Business Health Award winner for September.
The Business Health Award program, established by the OSF Saint Anthony’s Foundation, recognizes area businesses that provide health and wellness programs for their employees. The award honors their commitment to promoting safe work environments and encouraging workers to live healthier lifestyles.
“Winning this award is a great honor,” said Teri Higgins, director of human resources for Cope Plastics. “We’ve been working hard to improve the health of all of our employees, and it is great to receive recognition.
“Four years ago we formed a Wellness Committee to improve overall health awareness across the company, and it has really started to take off this last year. We definitely experienced a growth year.”
The Wellness Committee established a monthly wellness newsletter, health incentives, free on-site chiropractic/acupuncture services and one-on-one consultations from Dr. Nick Wittman. The consultations include:
• Diet and nutrition
• Fitness and exercise
• Ergonomics
• Stress management
• Blood pressure screenings
• Posture assessments
In addition, Cope provides free wellness screenings and flu shots for eligible employees and their family. And the incentives program provides participating employees the opportunity to earn $300 in Cope Rewards each year. Also related are various safety initiatives going on at Cope, such as an established safety director, safety committees at all branches, monthly communications, and more.
“You always hear that family comes first, and Cope treats their employees as one giant family,” said Monica Bristow, president of the RiverBend Growth Association and Business Health Award committee member. “Their programs are excellent examples of how to build a solid foundation for employee health and well-being. They’re a huge asset for the Riverbend.”
To qualify for the monthly award, a business must be nominated – self-nomination is allowed. After nomination, the business receives an application which is scored on health education, supportive environments, integration of worksite wellness programs and available health screening options.
In addition, businesses that would like to start implementing a health and wellness program are also encouraged to inquire. OSF Saint Anthony’s has a variety of health-wise options available for area employers.
For more information on the Business Health Award, call OSF Saint Anthony’s Foundation at (618) 463-5168. To download a nomination form, go to osfhealthcarefoundation.org/Alton.
Cope Plastics, headquartered in Alton, is a leader in plastics fabrication and distribution serving a wide range of customers. Since its inception in 1946, Cope Plastics has grown to be the supplier of choice to over 8,000 companies involved in heavy equipment, agriculture, food service, oil & gas, aerospace, medical, transportation, and retail industries, among others. Cope Plastics prides itself on its award winning recycling programs and is one of the largest women-owned businesses in the St. Louis area.
Visit www.copeplastics.com.
