Populous Receives Gold Certification on Healthy KC Companies List for 2020
February 9, 2021
-
Categories
Tags
For the first time in Populous history, the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce awarded the company a Gold ranking on its Certified Healthy KC Companies list. The recognition marks the fourth year that Populous has been recognized as a Healthy KC Company. The firm’s Gold ranking was awarded in part to its commitment and leadership in creating a culture of wellbeing for its employees through multiple workplace initiatives, including an on-site gym and fitness classes, healthy food options and various health and wellness programs.
The Healthy KC Companies initiative is developed with five pillars of health and wellness in mind: Healthy Eating, Active Living, Tobacco Cessation, Work-Life Integration and Design-Built Environment. There are four levels of certification within the program – Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum – based on each company’s level of achievement within the five pillars. In a year marked with a global pandemic and a unique remote work situation, Populous still delivered on its commitment to building a healthy workplace with weekly virtual health and wellness classes, and flexible work schedules, encouraging employees to work from home and limited travel to mandatory trips only.
“We are always looking at opportunities to maintain a happy, healthy workplace. Even during a pandemic when so many of our traditional health and fitness options weren’t available, we persevered and found alternative solutions to keeping a fit body and state of mind.”
Missy Ragsdale / Populous Americas’ Human Resources Director
In addition to addressing physical and mental wellbeing, Populous also introduced POPtogether, the formal Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEI+B) group, in August 2020 to help staff feel understood, accepted, included and heard. Initial discussions started in the Fall of 2019 for an open forum that would allow employees to address, discuss and educate one another in these specific areas of interest. The forum is available through the firm’s intranet and allows staff to post, read, learn and understand more about their community of co-workers.
Healthy KC is an initiative launched by the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City, in collaboration with more than 100 area health and wellness organizations, businesses, government, and other sectors.
For more information about Populous’ approach to promoting and supporting health and wellness during a global pandemic, contact media@populous.com.