Huntsman Cancer Institute (HCI) at the University of Utah has earned CEO Cancer Gold StandardTM accreditation for its work to reduce the risk of cancer for its employees and covered family members. HCI is the first employer in Utah and the five-state Mountain West to earn this prestigious designation.
"We are honored that Huntsman Cancer Institute has been welcomed into the Gold Standard community," said Mary Beckerle, PhD, chief executive officer of HCI. "As the official cancer center of the state of Utah, we must take our own best advice and implement programs that prevent cancer and reduce cancer risk for our own workforce. This recognition strengthens our commitment to work together to deliver a cancer-free frontier."
The CEO Roundtable on Cancer, a nonprofit organization of CEOs founded by former President George H.W. Bush, created the Gold Standard to recognize employers for taking exceptional health and wellness measures on behalf of their employees and family members.
"We are pleased to recognize the efforts of Huntsman Cancer Institute," said Robert A. Bradway, chairman and chief executive officer of Amgen and chairman of the CEO Roundtable on Cancer. "CEOs in healthcare industries see firsthand the benefit that improved workplace health and wellness can have in cancer prevention and improved overall health. I hope the leadership and commitment of Dr. Beckerle and the team at Huntsman Cancer Institute will encourage other employers across all industries to become Gold Standard accredited."
To earn Gold Standard accreditation, an employer must establish programs to reduce cancer risk by taking concrete actions in five key areas: emphasize prevention by prohibiting tobacco use and supporting tobacco cessation efforts; promote healthy lifestyles through physical activity, healthy nutrition and weight management; provide health insurance options that encourage detection of cancer at its earliest stages, ensure access to quality care, and allow participation in cancer clinical trials; promote employee awareness of these initiatives; and support the needs of cancer survivors in the workplace. Today, more than seven million people benefit from the vision and leadership of over 200 employers who have chosen to become Gold Standard accredited.
The Gold Standard provides a framework through which employers can lead by example. Private, nonprofit, and government employers in a wide range of industries have earned Gold Standard accreditation, including the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Moreover, other NCI-Designated Cancer Centers have earned Gold Standard accreditation:
- City of Hope National Medical Center
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
- Duke Cancer Institute
- Fox Chase Cancer Center
- Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
- Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center
- Knight Cancer Institute
- Mayo Clinic
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
- Moffitt Cancer Center
- The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center - James
- The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
- The Wistar Institute
- UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center
- University of Colorado Cancer Center
- Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center
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About the CEO Roundtable on Cancer
The CEO Roundtable on Cancer was founded in 2001, when former President George H.W. Bush challenged a group of executives to "do something bold and venturesome about cancer within your own corporate families." The CEOs responded by creating and encouraging the widespread adoption of the CEO Cancer Gold Standard™ which calls for organizations to evaluate their health benefits and workplace culture and take extensive, concrete actions in five key areas of health and wellness to address cancer in the workplace. For more information on the CEO Cancer Gold Standard and the no-cost, web-based accreditation process, please visit www.CancerGoldStandard.org.