Join the Ontario Healthy Workplace Coalition for our first Networking Breakfast Meeting on Wednesday June 29th at the Centre for Occupational Health and Safety Innovation.

Engage in conversations that matter and be inspired to take actions that make a difference! We believe that employee mental, physical, and psychosocial health is fundamental to organizational success. Join us in attaining this vision. We look forward to seeing you.  

Topic:  What in the World is a Healthy Workplace? Perspectives from the World Health Organization.

Date:  Wednesday, June 29th, 2011

Meet & Greet, Networking and Registration: 7:30 am to 8:30 am

Hot Breakfast: 8:30 am to 9:00 am

Presentation and OHWC Updates:  9:00 am to 10:00 am

Fee:  *Members $15.00    Non Members $25.00

*Member Discount Code for the Breakfast Meeting Option = membersonly

Video Conferencing Option - Can't make it in person? Join us live via Video Conferencing from 9:00 am - 10:00 am EST.

Fee: *Members: $5.00    Non Members: $15.00

*Member Discount Code for the Video Conference Only Option = membersonly_VC

You can dial in with your phone or login with your computer. No special equipment is required. Call in information will be e-mailed 48 hours prior to the meeting.

CLICK HERE for information on how to become a member. Become a member and enjoy the Member rates right away!

Session Description:

What in the World is a Healthy Workplace? Different parts of the world have interpreted the phrase "healthy workplace" very differently. The World Health Organization (WHO) wanted a global model for healthy workplaces that could be applied in any country, in any type of organization. They became aware of Canada's model (developed by Health Canada and adapted by NQI) and came to Joan Burton for assistance.

Joan will discuss this work and describe the new WHO Global Framework and Model for healthy workplaces, which is strongly built upon the Canadian model. If you work for a multinational company, this session is of critical importance for you. In fact, if you work for any company that wants to keep abreast of future trends in healthy workplaces, this is the session for you. Learn how you too can become involved in the WHO's work!

Presenter: Joan Burton - Joan Burton & Associates, Workplace Wellness 

 Joan Burton, Co-chair of the Board of Directors of the Ontario Healthy Workplace Coalition (2010 - 2012), is an internationally recognized expert on healthy workplaces. In 2003 her contributions were recognized at the Health, Work and Wellness Conference in Ottawa, when she was honoured to receive the Canadian Workplace Wellness Pioneer Award. She has done presentations on workplace health issues in many international locations, including Ireland, Japan, the United States, Korea, Peru, Switzerland, and most recently in New Delhi, India at the World Health Organization in March 2011.

From 1995 to 2008, Joan was the Senior Strategy Advisor, Healthy Workplaces, for IAPA (Industrial Accident Prevention Association). During this time, she worked with the National Quality Institute (NQI) to help them develop their Healthy Workplace Criteria, and participated in several Verification visits to companies applying for NQI healthy workplace awards.

During her time with IAPA, Joan's booklet, "Creating Healthy Workplaces" was used by the University of Calgary, Ryerson University, and Centennial College in their workplace health courses. It came to the attention of the World Health Organization (WHO), which then hired Joan after her retirement to assist them in developing a global framework and model for healthy workplaces that can be applied in any type of organization in any country. This document was peer reviewed by over 20 international experts and was published in its entirety and in a summary version on the WHO website on April 28, 2010. The background document is titled, "WHO Healthy Workplace Framework and Model: Background and Supporting Literature and Practices" and the summary document is called, "Healthy Workplaces: A Model for Action."

During her two years of retirement, Joan has also assisted in writing a book called RealFood RealHealth published in the fall of 2010 (authored by a family doctor and an organic farmer). In her spare time she has gone on hiking holidays to Cuba, Slovenia and Croatia. Her current goal is to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in September, 2011. She is President of Joan Burton & Associates, Workplace Wellness; a Registered Nurse (Ryerson University) with a Bachelor of Science in Zoology (University of Alberta) and a Masters degree in Adult Education (University of Toronto).