Employee Wellness and Well-Being

In this section …

In addition to promoting the health and well-being of our valued employee team, there are many good reasons our company invests in programs that encourage employees to take responsibility for their health. Increased employee wellness can translate into improved employee morale, fewer accidents and injuries, reduced absenteeism and lower health insurance costs. Anheuser-Busch breweries support a comprehensive approach to wellness in the home and workplace.

For 2006, our wellness strategies focused on prevention of chronic conditions, early detection of illnesses, weight management, tobacco cessation, fitness and nutrition, health and wellness education, and enhanced wellness reporting.

As part of our corporate wellness programs, we offer:

a wellness web site with many resources available to employees and wellness coordinators;
special health events focusing on preventing musculoskeletal injuries, recognizing cardiovascular risks and managing mental and physical stress;
periodic health fairs providing glucose, cholesterol, blood pressure and body fat testing for employees;
classes for weight loss and smoking cessation and screenings for prostate, breast and skin cancer;
heart-healthy menu entrees and accompaniments in our corporate cafeterias;
contests to encourage annual wellness visits with physicians;
special brewery sponsored sporting events, field days and competitions; and
employee usage of our fitness facilities where available.

Anheuser-Busch supports the National Governors Association and its Healthy States Grant Program, both with a monetary donation of $75,000, and the implementation of wellness programs within our own business network. This program challenges states to develop and implement worksite and community wellness programs, and goes hand-in-hand with our corporate philosophy towards holistic health and wellness.

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ABCs of Good Health

Wellness education and awareness are vital to employee health and safety. Anheuser-Busch has established an extensive wellness program, “The ABCs of Good Health,” encouraging employees to:

Take ACTION – Take responsibility for their own wellness; take their health plan’s Health Risk Assessment; work with their primary care physicians to assess wellness; identify good and bad habits and risk factors; and set a wellness goal and work toward it.
Know their BENEFITS – Learn about and take full advantage of wellness resources that include company-provided benefits and health plans, referral services, the Employee Assistance Program, web-based educational materials and tools, and online Health Risk Assessments.
Get their CHECK-UPS – Schedule an annual preventive care visit. When employees or spouses visit their primary care physician, they are eligible to enter into an annual drawing. Local incentives are also offered throughout the year to encourage participation. About 19 percent of employees participated in this year’s companywide contest, for their chance to win the $5,000 grand prize package or one of one-hundred $50 secondary prizes.

Ability for Life

Throughout 2006, we continued to sponsor wellness events, and fairs and informational sessions at our breweries as part of the Ability for Life (AFL) program. AFL is a holistic program that focuses on employees and their families, emphasizing personal responsibility for safety and wellness in the home and workplace. Each of our U.S. breweries has an AFL steering committee.

AFL stresses the importance of health-conscious decisions and provides valuable tools and information for employees and their families. We actively promote the program through monthly e-mails to employees with safety and wellness tips, AFL messages on paychecks and an AFL website available to all employees. All U.S. breweries feature onsite workout facilities. Some breweries also sponsored wellness events for retirees.

Employee Reimbursement Programs

In 2006, two reimbursement programs were offered to all Anheuser-Busch employees, spouses/certified domestic partners, and dependents. The program was designed to help employees meet their personal weight loss and tobacco cessation goals. The weight loss/management program allows eligible individuals to request 100 percent reimbursement of the cost of Weight Watchers®. More than 200 eligible participants have lost about 4,500 pounds through the Weight Watchers offerings.

The tobacco cessation reimbursement program, new in 2006, provides eligible individuals who successfully complete 12 months in the program the opportunity to request 100 percent reimbursement of the program costs plus out-of-pocket costs for nicotine replacement therapy or non-nicotine prescriptions.

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Wellness Awards

Our Fairfield, California, Fort Collins, Colorado, and Jacksonville, Florida, breweries were 3 of 58 winners nationwide presented with the gold level “Well Workplace Award” from Wellness Councils of America (Welcoa). Welcoa is a leader in worksite wellness promotion.

The Los Angeles brewery was also presented the 2006 “Fit Business” award from the California Task Force on Youth and Workplace Wellness. The brewery offers a diverse range of programs and opportunities to benefit their employees’ health. The employee cafeteria offers healthy options and reasonable portions. Management at all levels has a strong commitment to improving health, and ensures that employees are aware of the different programs available to them. Employees are afforded time during the work day to exercise or stretch, and are provided with nutrition and physical activity educational materials. Fitness classes are held before and after work, and during lunch. Approximately 250 employees utilize the fitness center at least twice a week. The brewery also sponsors employee soccer and basketball teams. Management has worked hard to provide a program that fits the various needs of our employees.

Jacksonville Brewery Employee Joins Florida State Wellness Council

Anheuser-Busch employees have been so successful at implementing health and wellness plans that one of our employees was asked by the Governor’s office to sit on the new Florida State Wellness Council. The Council will assist the state of Florida in developing its health and wellness plan.

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