Continuously rising life expectancy and falling birth rates will result, medium- to long-term, in marked changes in the population structure of many industrialized countries. In Germany, for example, the number of workers available between the age of 30 and 45 is expected to decrease by 25 percent until the year 2015. This trend will significantly increase  international competition for high potentials and employees with special competencies. In aging societies, it will be more important than ever for companies to ensure that their employees remain fit.

Henkel has prepared for this by establishing targeted health promotion programs and providing continuous training for employees of all ages. The health programs of the Henkel companies are designed to take national and cultural factors into account. Henkel underlined its commitment to this holistic philosophy by joining the Unternehmen für Gesundheit [companies for health] network. Furthermore, in March 2002, Henkel signed the European Union’s “Luxembourg Declaration on Workplace Health Promotion in the European Union” of 1997.

Since May 2007, a plant agreement on heath management has been in effect at our Düsseldorf site. It focuses on raising the awareness of employees and managerial staff with regard to the importance of health. It also includes concrete measures for promoting health in the workplace, such as ergonomic improvements and special training courses, and for helping employees to recuperate from illness. Health management is a task that involves company doctors, human resources managers, occupational health and safety officers, members of works councils, and managers. Many sites also offer health promotion activities, or special activity weeks for shift workers.

In developing their health programs, the Henkel companies emphasized different aspects, depending on national and cultural factors. The programs ranged from non-smoker seminars and information on stress management to health check-ups and AIDS prevention. The activities listed in the table provide an overview of the wide variety of health initiatives.

In many cases, the involvement of the Henkel companies goes far beyond the site gates and includes relatives, employees of other companies, and neighbors in jointly implemented health-promoting measures. As part of the Company’s efforts to continuously improve preventive health care measures, an annual conference takes place enabling the physicians of all Henkel companies in Germany, as well as the Human Resources departments, to compare notes. The findings are also made available to the sites outside of Germany.

To implement occupational health standards, a two-member team – a specialist in occupational medicine from Henkel in Düsseldorf and the regional manager for safety, health and environmental protection – advised sites in China, India, Indonesia, Korea and Thailand about health risks, prevention and medical care. The two-day program included an assessment of the medical equipment, evaluation of the suitability of emergency measures, and optimization of care for employees in acute situations. Close collaboration between the sites and the local medical institutions is of the essence here. Doctors and hospitals were therefore involved in the program to ensure effective cooperation. The implementation of occupational health standards not only ensures good medical care, but raises employee motivation.

In many African countries, HIV/AIDS has become one of the greatest social disasters in the history of the continent. The Henkel sites in South Africa and Kenya, are also affected by this problem. Henkel South Africa has responded by introducing an HIV/ AIDS policy, which was developed in collaboration with health officials and representatives of local employee organizations, trade unions, and the nongovernmental organization Khanya Family Centre. The program implemented at the Alrode site focuses on prevention by raising employee awareness. Education about how AIDS is transmitted is also aimed at employees who work with HIV-positive people. Similar awareness-raising measures are in place at Henkel in Nairobi, Kenya. Events organized at the site include discussions on the status and spread of the disease and lectures by doctors on prevention. In addition to emphasizing preventive measures, both sites have clearly voiced their policy of non-discrimination and non-stigmatization.

Henkel’s concern regarding HIV/AIDS extends beyond Africa. In India, breaking through the taboo that surrounds the disease is one of the major challenges. Henkel is a partner of the SNS Foundation, a nongovernmental organization in India offering a number of services. At the Henkel site in Gurgaon, for example, it organizes health courses and a weekly consultation hour, from which the local population also benefits.