What is the Employer Gold Standard?

• In partnership with the Indiana State Department of Health and the American Cancer Society (ACS), the ICC developed the Employer Gold Standard (EGS) initiative to help Hoosier employers of any size promote wellness initiatives and evidence-based interventions to their employees (Based on the CEO Cancer Gold Standard Program from the CEO Roundtable on Cancer).
• This free program recognizes employers who establish the workplace as a primary setting to focus on primary prevention and early detection for breast, cervical, colorectal cancers for their employees.

The Cost of Cancer is Devastating.

• Cancer costs U.S. employers about $19,000 annually per 100 employees in lost work time and medical treatments.
• Employees with cancer are absent 3.8 more days per month than workers without cancer and lose the equivalent of 1.8 more days per week due to “presenteeism”
• Cancer affects Indiana’s healthcare costs, mortality rates, employee productivity, disability claims, and the lives of people and families.
• According to the ACS, by 2020, cancer in the U.S. is responsible for an estimated $148 billion in lost productivity.
• In economic terms, evidence-based screening for breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer is very cost effective.

What Can We Do?

• The workplace reaches average-risk, age appropriate adults for interventions that lead to prevention and early detection. 
• By focusing on health education and health promotion, you will be informing employees about when and why they should be screened for certain cancers.
• You will have a healthier, more productive workforce who in turn will be contributing to a healthier organization.

What’s In It For You?

• Employers who invest in their employees experience lower turnover and save on costs
• Workers who feel valued and respected are more productive and eager to engage in the workplace
• Healthy environment encourages employees to stay with the company overtime
• Fair pay, benefits, healthy-living initiatives, collaborative projects, open communication, etc.
• Save money by reducing time in the hiring process, training, and educational deficit.
• Free
• Award of excellence at the ICC Annual Meeting
• Recognition opportunities through social media messaging, press releases, ICC channels, etc. Recognized as a wellness leader throughout Indiana
• Opportunity to be positioned as an employer of choice
• Website badge 

Employers can follow these steps to become an ICC Employer Gold Standard Organization:

1. Complete an application of intent below and submit.
2. Join as an official ICC member.
3. Address at least two of the following cancers: breast, cervical, or colorectal and tobacco use.
4. Design a cancer control and prevention action plan utilizing the suggested best practice resource provided by the ICC (technical assistance is provided). Action plan guidelines and resources are sent to employer representatives after submission of application.
5. Technical assistance provided by the EGS Committee.

There are no fees associated with becoming an ICC member organization or joining the ICC Employer Gold Standard Initiative.

Join today and be recognized as a leader of cancer prevention and control and a model organization for other employers!

The ICC has developed an Employer Gold Standard Toolkit to assist employers in the implementation of EGS practices. The toolkit was created to help bolster the employers’ capacity to implement evidence-based cancer screening strategies, tailoring program implementation to fit the needs of the employer. 

The Employer Gold Standard Initiative Toolkit can be found here.