Participants at the ACSU Boston training
For the first time, global health leaders of major multinational companies with US- and Boston-based headquarters gathered August 6-8 for an American Cancer Society summit in Boston to address the growing chronic disease burden among employees in emerging economies through tobacco control and other health promotion programs. During this summit, 26 chief medical officers and directors of health benefits from the US, Europe, Asia, and Latin America offices of leading multinational companies, including General Motors, IBM, Caterpillar, and General Electric, learned how proven programs in the United States can be culturally adapted and applied worldwide to protect employee health and increase productivity. The American Cancer Society has begun piloting smoke-free and wellness programs in India and China to promote smoking cessation, smoke-free workplaces, physical activity, and better nutrition. This three-day summit was held in conjunction with an American Cancer Society University (ACSU) training in Boston that brought together 19 health care professionals from 13 Latin American and Caribbean countries to learn about smoke-free benefits and best practices.
