The CEO Roundtable on Cancer has accredited Bristol-Myers Squibb with the CEO Cancer Gold Standard recognizing its efforts to reduce the risk of cancer for its employees and covered family members.

The CEO Roundtable on Cancer, a nonprofit organization of CEOs, founded by former President George H.W. Bush, developed and administers the Gold Standard, a workplace accreditation program which encourages and recognizes the commitment of organizations that take concrete actions to address cancer in their workplaces. Nearly 200 private, nonprofit and government employers in a wide range of occupational categories have earned Gold Standard accreditation, including the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and a number of NCI-designated cancer centers.

To earn Gold Standard accreditation, an employer must establish programs to reduce cancer risk by taking concrete actions in five key areas: establishing policies and programs to reduce cancer risk by prohibiting tobacco use and supporting tobacco cessation efforts; promoting physical activity, healthy nutrition and weight management; providing health insurance options that include detecting cancer at its earliest stages, access to quality care and participation in cancer clinical trials; promoting employee awareness of these initiatives; and supporting the needs of cancer survivors in the workplace.

“We are pleased to recognize the efforts of Bristol-Myers Squibb,” said Robert A. Bradway, chairman and chief executive officer of Amgen and chairman of the CEO Roundtable on Cancer. “CEOs in healthcare industries see firsthand the benefit that improved workplace health and wellness can have in cancer prevention and improved overall health. I hope the leadership and commitment of Chief Executive Officer Dr. Giovanni Caforio and the team at Bristol-Myers Squibb will encourage other employers across all industries to become Gold Standard accredited.”

“This is certainly an honor,” said Dr. Giovanni Caforio, Bristol-Myers Squibb chief executive officer and chairman of the Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation board of directors. “Receiving the CEO Cancer Gold Standard accreditation underscores Bristol-Myers Squibb’s commitment to transforming cancer care as well as our unwavering commitment to our patients and our people.”

In addition to NCI and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 16 NCI-designated cancer centers and more than 100 other hospitals have earned Gold Standard accreditation. CEOs from many industries are keenly aware of the life-improving impact they can have on health and controlling healthcare costs when they address cancer and other chronic diseases. Gold Standard employers include: Avis Budget Group, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Lowe’s, Amgen, State Farm, Hogan Lovells, Dell, Johnson & Johnson, Novartis, SAS and many Blue Cross affiliates.