PhotoSt. Jacobs, ON - Home Hardware Stores Limited has been awarded Waterloo Region's Healthy Workplace Gold Award. The program recognizes and celebrates workplaces in Waterloo Region who demonstrate a strong commitment to improving the health of their employees.

Early in 2011, Home Hardware launched its comprehensive Good For You! Wellness Program, provided by La Capitale Financial Group and RWAM Insurance Administrators Inc., to promote health and wellness among Home Hardware's corporate Staff.


The Good For You! Wellness Program goes hand in hand with Home Hardware's corporate commitment to promote healthy lifestyle habits and engagement amongst its staff. The wellness program provides a full spectrum of valuable health and well-being information, from fitness to healthy eating and stress management.

"Home Hardware is extremely committed to the health and well-being of our Staff - a key initiative in our corporate business plan," said Paul Straus, President and CEO, Home Hardware Stores Limited. "We are seeing evidence that the more information and support we provide our Staff, the better choices they can make at work and at home when it comes to their health."

The Healthy Workplace Gold Award specifically recognized Home Hardware's work to raise awareness, build skills, provide environmental support and develop policies in the areas of physical activity, healthy eating and stress management.

"Waterloo Region's people are the backbone of our community, which is why their health is so important," said Amanda Kroger, Program Manager with Healthy Living, Planning and Promotion at the Region of Waterloo Public Health. "As an active corporate citizen of Waterloo Region, Home Hardware has demonstrated a strong commitment to improving the health of their employees and we are pleased to present them with the The Healthy Workplace Gold Award."

The company's wellness initiatives included flu clinics and heart clinics at each of its distribution centres where registered nurses conducted blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes tests. Registered dieticians were also available at lunch & learn sessions and educational kiosks and completed nutrition assessments of the offerings in the company's cafeterias.

In May and June, approximately 800 Home Hardware management and staff making up 230 teams across Canada (141 teams in St. Jacobs) participated in Home's Corporate Walking Challenge. The friendly competition set a goal of reaching 10,000 steps per day and to increase awareness of the importance of physical activity. Participants were equipped with pedometers to count their steps and were empowered to compare their progress and encourage others to join. This complemented other recreational sporting events supported by the company.

To help staff deal with stress in a healthy way, Home Hardware conducted an office-wide awareness campaign including newsletters and posters while offering time management and stress management training programs. Random Act of Kindness Day was introduced and designed to bring employees together in a lighthearted way.

The Good For You! Wellness Program is now an ongoing initiative at Home Hardware Stores Limited.

About Home Hardware Stores Limited
100% Canadian owned and operated, Home Hardware Stores Limited has a presence in every Canadian province and territory and is the country's largest independent, Dealer-owned hardware, lumber, building materials and furniture cooperative. Founded on January 1, 1964 by 122 independent hardware Dealers, the cooperative now includes more than 1,080 stores, under the Home Hardware, Home Building Centre, Home Hardware Building Centre and Home Furniture banners, with annual collective retail sales of more than $5 billion. Home Hardware's independent Dealer-Owners, recognized by the North American Retail Hardware Association as Canada's best-trained Dealer group, have access to 100,000 quality brand name and private label products, a world-class distribution system and draw upon the power of Home Hardware's network to provide their local communities with top quality products and services at competitive prices.

About La Capitale Financial Group
La Capitale Financial Group has a strong presence in Quebec and throughout Canada. With its 2,900 employees and partners and guided by the values of mutualism on which it was founded, La Capitale works with clients to build, protect and value what they feel counts for their financial security. It offers insurance products and financial services to the general public as well as to Quebec's public service employees. With assets of $3.8 billion, La Capitale occupies a choice position among leading insurers in Canada.

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For more information, please contact Lindsey Dietrich, Home Hardware Stores Limited at 519-664-2252 ext. 6676 or lindsey.dietrich@homehardware.ca, or Rob Wallace, Home Hardware Stores Limited at 519-664-4710 or rob.wallace@homehardware.ca.

For more information on the Healthy Workplace Gold Award, please contact Amanda Kroger Program Manager with Healthy Living, Planning and Promotion at the Region of Waterloo Public Health at 519-883-2255 or akroger@regionofwaterloo.ca.