Because of its diverse locations and various businesses, Saint-Gobain Corp., under the benefits leadership of Robert Pierce, vice president, Benefits and Corporate Compensation, has developed a corporate-wide model that encourages local ownership and adoption of corporate wellness programs.
Saint-Gobain (SGC) is the world’s largest building materials company, employing 20,000 people in more than 350 locations in the United States and Canada. Every year, more than 250 Human Resource managers from around the country as well as companies that provide programs for SGC employees come together to review changes and enhancements to benefits in order to be more effective advocates during open enrollment season.
To effectively implement new programs, Pierce’s team visits vendors to help them understand SGC benefit programs and culture and to integrate vendors into the management structure. The company has created a highly effective and participative Wellness Council with representatives from across the SGC community.
The group exchanges ideas on how to build and sustain a culture of health, sharing best practices, employing a variety of innovative incentive programs and participatory events at the local level. Their use of technology is leading-edge, ranging from webinars and podcasts for managers and employees to encouraging employees to follow the Wellness Council on Twitter. The comprehensive intranet site has a wealth of information that employees may access 24/7.
Local leaders are encouraged to localize programs with on-site wellness teams, creating everything from stretching programs for employees on loading docks to on-site fitness rooms and peer coaching on healthy eating and exercise. “This shared approach between the businesses and the corporate wellness team has created a level of shared cooperation and commitment that has produced incredible levels of participation in the programs and has had a positive result in managing our overall health care costs.” Pierce said.
Saint-Gobain’s efforts have produced strong results due in large part to the culture of health the company’s inclusive approach to implementation has engendered. Per capita health care trends have been substantially below national health care trend for four of the last five plan years, even though Saint-Gobain’s population is older and contains a higher risk population, with 39% of employees managing a chronic condition.
The company’s adjusted medical plan spend is 6% lower year-over-year compared to other employer groups in Cigna’s book of business. The 2010 results included 43% enrollment in the health reimbursement arrangement, which has 23% lower costs than their traditional health plan, a trend that is 5-7% better than industry norms. It is expected that 50% of employees will achieve enough wellness points for the 2009-2010 plan year to each receive $250 off the cost of their benefits. In some locations, Saint-Gobain has more than 95% participation in its wellness programs.
“We firmly believe that the company’s support of wellness, disease management programs, and consumer-directed health care plans has made our employees very aware of the impact they can have on their overall health status and the costs of health care that impact their own wallets as well as the company’s costs,” Pierce said.
- Company: Saint-Gobain Corp.
- Headquarters: Valley Forge, PA
- Website: www.saint-gobainnorthamerica. com
- No. of employees: 20,000
- Nature of business: Saint-Gobain Corp. is a diversified manufacturer of such products as building materials, glass containers, performance plastics, abrasives, and ceramics.
Key executives:
- Gilles Colas, president and CEO
- James Thomson, senior vice president, Human Resources
- Shawn Puccio, senior vice president, Finance
- Timothy Feagans, senior vice president and general counsel
Key providers: 
- Cigna, health, pharmacy, dental, employee assistance program
- Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, health
- Prudential, life insurance, long-term care insurance
- The Hartford, short-term and long-term disability management and insurance