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EXCELLENCE CANADA AND SEB BHR FORM NEW ALLIANCE

By Gurtej on 5/19/2015


New Alliance Formed to Improve Mental Health at Work

TORONTO, ON-­‐-­‐(Marketwired -­‐ May 08, 2015)

Excellence Canada is pleased to announce a strategic alliance with SEB Benefits & HR Consulting Inc. as part of its ongoing mandate to promote and enable physical and psychological health and safety in the workplace.

Excellence Canada and SEB Benefits & HR Consulting are both authorities on the strategic implementation of wellness programs and will be working together to improve employee and corporate performance through Excellence Canada’s “Healthy Workplace® Standard” and “Mental Health at Work® Framework” which lead to national recognition under the Canada Awards for Excellence Program.

The economic reality is:

• In any given year, one in five people in Canada experiences a mental health problem or illness, with a cost to the economy of well in excess of $50 billion. [1]
• Mental health problems and illnesses typically account for approximately 30 per cent of short-­‐ and long-­‐term disability claims. [2]
• Mental health problems and illnesses are rated one of the top three drivers of both short and long-­‐term disability claims by more than 80 per cent of Canadian employers. [3][4]

“There is an increasing awareness and an urgency to address workforce health and well-­‐being which is driving employers to take effective measures. Our alliance with SEB Benefits & HR Consulting Inc. is an excellent fit,” says Allan Ebedes, President & CEO of Excellence Canada. “Joseph Ricciuti and Julie Holden are leaders on the subject of employee mental health and well-­‐being, and are very familiar with Excellence Canada’s programs and system. Through our many discussions about the importance of moving to a higher level of employer commitment to employee health, we realized how aligned we are in our thinking and in our vision for the future of workplace health”.

“We are pleased to be an alliance partner with Excellence Canada, a not-­‐for-­‐profit organization that is an authority on advancing continual improvement across all sectors and industries,” says Joseph Ricciuti, President & CEO of SEB Benefits & HR Consulting Inc. “The Excellence Canada methodology moves traditional health promotion programs toward a comprehensive and integrated healthy workplace system that reduces costs, improves output, and increases profitability. We are excited to work with them to promote and implement their framework to help guide employers into a new era of both physical and mental health in the workplace.”

About Excellence Canada

Excellence Canada is an independent not-­‐for-­‐profit corporation that is committed to advancing organizational excellence across Canada. Since 1992, Excellence Canada has helped thousands of organizations create cultures of continuous quality improvement and become world-­‐class role models through a four-­‐level certification methodology, including the Excellence, Innovation and
Wellness Standard, the Healthy Workplace® Standard, and the Mental Health at Work® Framework. It is
also the custodian and adjudicator of the Canada Awards for Excellence Program, of which the Patron is His Excellency, the Right Honourable David Johnston, C.C., C.M.M., C.O.M., C.D., Governor General of Canada.

About SEB Benefits & HR Consulting Inc.
The principals of SEB Benefits & HR Consulting Inc. collectively have over 100 years of experience and are industry leaders in providing employee benefits and human resources consulting services. SEB Benefits & HR Consulting Inc. works with organizations to simplify complex business issues confronting human resource professionals and business leaders. It helps organizations improve the health and performance of their working populations. Their focus is on health and productivity solutions, corporate mental health strategies, absence and disability management, Employee and Family Assistance Programs, workers’ compensation & disability claims audits, and HR and total rewards solutions, in addition to benefits program re-­‐design, actuarial underwriting and risk management solutions.

EC-SEB-BHR Press Release 20150508

Excellence Canada: Allan Ebedes President & CEO
Email: Allan@excellence.ca

SEB Benefits & HR Consulting Inc.: Joseph Ricciuti
President & CEO
Email: Joseph.ricciuti@seb-­‐bhr.com
REFERENCES
[1] Smetanin, P., Stiff, D., Briante, C., Adair, C., Ahmad, S. & Khan, M. (2011). The life and economic impact of major mental illnesses in Canada: 2011 to 2041. RiskAnalytica, on behalf of the Mental Health Commission of Canada.
[2] Sairanen, S., Matzanke, D., & Smeall, D. (2011). The business case: Collaborating to help employees
maintain their mental well-­‐being. Healthcare Papers, 11, 78–84.
[3] Sairanen, S., Matzanke, D., & Smeall, D. (2011). The business case: Collaborating to help employees maintain their mental well-­‐being. Healthcare Papers, 11, 78–84.
[4] Towers, Watson. (2012). Pathway to health and productivity. 2011/2012 Staying@Work survey report.
North America. Retrieved from http://www.towerswatson.com/assets/pdf/6031/Towers-­‐Watson-­‐ Staying-­‐at-­‐Work-­‐Report.pdf.

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