TVK Wins AmCham Special Prize

For the sixth time the American Chamber of Commerce’s (AmCham) Healthcare Committee has announced a competition for the Healthy Workplace AmCham Award, ending with TVK winning a special prize.

The local member organisation of the world network of American Chambers of Commerce, AmCham Hungary (AmCham), launched the Healthy Workplace Programme in autumn 2002 with a view to encouraging employers to develop healthy working environments that promote competitiveness at both the company and national levels. Initially, 41 SMEs and big corporations joined the programme. The number of corporations has since grown to 87; the programme thus now involves approximately 200,000 employees and family members.

AmCham’s Healthcare Committee announced the annual Healthy Workplace AmCham Award for the sixth time in 2007. 17 applications were submitted in three categories (small businesses, medium-sized enterprises, and large corporations). Award proposals were required mainly to demonstrate a company’s efforts at managing healthcare, raising the awareness of a healthy lifestyle, and promoting mental health.

Following the evaluation of the proposals submitted, the Awards were presented on 3rd December 2007 in Budapest.
In his speech opening the award ceremony, Under-Secretary of State of the Ministry for Health Dr Gyula Kincses drew attention to the importance of the government’s public health scheme and praised AmCham’s healthy workplace programme.

US Embassy’s Senior Commercial Officer Patricia Gonzalez emphasised in her speech the importance of healthy workplaces, pointing out that a healthy working environment has a positive effect on employees and, consequently, on competitiveness in business. She also called attention to the applicants’ responsibility and awareness, through which this cause is well promoted. Referring to a survey by FORBES Magazine, she demonstrated that the overwhelming majority of American companies support welfare programmes and that these programmes are fairly popular with employees. Through the use of such programmes, company managements can save money as corporate competitiveness increases with the improvement of employees’ quality of life.

Then Healthcare Committee Chaiman Dr László Polák informed the audience of the Advisory Board’s evaluation and annouced the winners. The Award was presented to SSL Magyarország Ltd in the small business category, GE Hungary Engines Service Ltd in the medium-sized business category, and to Coca-Cola Beverages Ltd as one of 11 candidates in the large corporation category. The Advisory Board’s Special Prize went to TVK in honour of our company’s efforts to improve employees’ quality of life.

The Special Prize was received by the leader of the Petrochemical Division HSE, Tamás Koczor, on behalf of TVK.
The award ceremony was followed by a welcome address to companies that had newly joined the Programme.