Workplace Health summit: the perfect showcase for Suffolk’s leading role in best practice

Suffolk’s business community is looking forward to a ground-breaking summit that will further establish the county’s reputation as a national leader in health and wellbeing in the workplace best practice.

Organised jointly by Suffolk Chamber of Commerce and Suffolk County Council, the Improving Workplace Health (IWH) summit takes place on 1 November at BT’s Adastral Park campus.

The sell-out event has attracted over 100 signed-up delegates, plus over 20 companies offering health and wellbeing services arranged in a marketplace layout.

The event brings together a number of key experts in this increasingly important sector, including Dame Carol Black, an adviser to the British Government on the relationship between work and health and Stuart Keeble, Suffolk’s new director of public health.

In addition, the summit will host the launch of a new business health and wellbeing resource pack, written by business people for business people – believed to be a national first.

The resource pack brings together the shared experiences, case studies and personal accounts of the many Suffolk businesses who have participated in four themed workshops over the last six months.

The result is a resource pack that can be easily accessed by businesses of all sizes and which is written in a language of direct relevance to business people looking to do the best for the workforce – and hence boost growth and productivity.

Each workshop looked at different aspects of ‘building resilience’: of individuals, leaders and managers, teams and across the whole of the county.

The issues coming out of each of the workshops were shared with an IWH ‘virtual’ board, comprising Suffolk-based health sector experts, for their ideas and comments.

John Dugmore, Suffolk Chamber’s chief executive said: “It says a great deal about Suffolk that so many businesses have worked with each other and with Suffolk County Council’s public health team over the last six months to contribute to this excellent resource pack.

 “Suffolk has a clear message to the rest of the country: issues like absenteeism and poor productivity can only be truly addressed through businesses taking on an active and sensitive approach in helping their workforces improve their health and wellbeing.

“The forthcoming summit will be the perfect showcase for Suffolk’s leading role in this regard.”

Councillor James Reeder, Suffolk County Council’s cabinet member for public health and prevention, who will be speaking at the summit, said: “This summit will mark the culmination of a hugely successful partnership with Suffolk Chamber, working with businesses across the county to consider what matters most when it comes to improving workplace health.

 “Throughout 2019, we have been making the case about how business growth is inextricably linked to good health, and have heard many examples of how business are already championing this approach. I am really pleased with the result and look forward to sharing our new health and wellbeing resource pack on 1 November, which promises to be a valuable asset to the county’s employers of all shapes and sizes.”

More information about the summit can be found on the Suffolk Chamber of Commerce site.