Millennium Marathon pushes corporate wellness agenda with new national index

Millennium Marathon has announced plans to roll out a Corporate Wellness Index aimed at ranking companies based on the strength of their employee wellness programmes.

Speaking at the Millennium Marathon Corporate Wellness Forum in Accra, Catherine Morton – Managing Partner-Millennium Marathon Sports Limited – said several international studies have established a direct link between employee wellness and workplace productivity, yet many organisations still view wellness initiatives as an unnecessary cost.

She explained that the forum was organised to broaden conversations on wellness beyond running by engaging the wider corporate sector, noting that nearly 40 percent of marathon participants are corporate workers.

According to her, the event brought together stakeholders within the wellness ecosystem to discuss collaborative approaches for improving workplace wellbeing through partnerships between businesses, wellness professionals and running communities.

“Healthy employees are more productive, motivated and profitable to organisations in the long-term,” she said, adding that poor employee wellbeing often results in absenteeism, low morale and declining productivity.

She further disclosed that the Corporate Wellness Forum will become an annual event aimed at strengthening dialogue around employee health, fitness and mental wellness.

Wellness Index rollout

Madam Morton revealed that Millennium Marathon has developed a Corporate Wellness Index, an annual publication that will rank companies accross various industries according to the effectiveness and impact of their workplace wellness programmes.

This comes at a time when businesses are being urged to invest more heavily in workplace wellbeing to improve productivity and sustainability.

The index, she explained, will initially assess 200 companies across various sectors in Ghana using three key pillars – including physical wellbeing, mental wellbeing and community engagement.

She said the initiative aims at encouraging companies to prioritise employee welfare while creating greater awareness of workplace wellness’s business value.

“The future growth and sustainability of businesses depends heavily on the wellbeing of their workforce,” she stressed.

The forum, organised under the theme ‘The business of fitness’, featured three panel discussions involving corporate executives, health professionals, wellness advocates and running clubs.

The first panel discussion focused on integrating wellness into corporate culture and featured Andrea Akl, Deputy General Manager-Qualiplast; Noalina Kuukua Slippi-Mensah,  Head of Human Capital-InvestCorp; and Salah Kalmoni, CEO-Silver Star Towers.

Speaking during the discussion, Mrs. Slippi-Mensah highlighted the importance of community-centred corporate initiatives – explaining that a fundraising exercise organised by her outfit was designed not only to mobilise financial resources but also support vulnerable people and strengthen social cohesion.

“We looked beyond just making money or focusing on financial returns,” she said. “For us, it was also about the wellbeing of our staff and the wider community.”

She explained that the initiative enabled support for struggling families to be extended during the Christmas period while also promoting unity and collective responsibility within the community.

Mr. Kalmoni, for his part, emphasised the importance of motivation in achieving staff wellness outcomes, arguing that true wellness required balance across physical, mental and emotional health.

“Wellness comes in three concepts – physical, mental and emotional – and all these three work together to deliver holistic wellness,” he stated.

Madam Akl meanwhile underscored the importance of workplace safety and awareness in corporate wellness programmes.

“Safety of our staff is paramount,” she said. “We also look at the physical and mental side of wellness and have put in place measures that promote wellness among our staff.”

She added that corporate wellness is achievable in Ghana provided organisations design programmes that reflect local realities and workplace conditions.

The second panel discussion examined the role of running clubs in promoting wellness and social cohesion. It featured Gigi Rose Mann of R & R Wellness; Ernest Bediako Sampong,  Runner Alliance; Kevin Atikpui, Accra Active Club; and Abdul-Samed Shaibu, a runner and influencer

Panellists discussed how organised running communities are increasingly contributing to physical wellbeing, mental resilience and stronger social networks among professionals and young people.

The final panel discussion centred on work-life integration in the modern corporate world and brought together Gideon Ataraire, CEO-Impact Life Insurance; Kwasi Tabury, CEO-MyHealthCop; and Dr. Elton Fredrick Afari,  CEO-Equity Health Insurance.

Dr. Afari stressed the growing importance of mental health support within workplaces, arguing that organisations must deliberately invest in employee wellbeing to sustain productivity and improve quality of life.

According to him, many businesses are increasingly adopting wellness-driven interventions including counselling services, physical activity programmes, digital health tools and insurance-backed wellness models to help employees manage healthcare costs and access professional support.

He noted that stress, burnout and emotional fatigue continues to significantly affect productivity across workplaces and warned that mental health challenges should no longer be treated solely as personal issues.

“Mental health is not just a personal issue; it is a community issue,” Dr. Afari said. “When people are supported mentally, emotionally and socially, the results can be remarkable and far-reaching.”

He also advocated more flexible work arrangements – including remote and hybrid work systems, arguing that post-COVID experiences have demonstrated that employees can remain productive outside the traditional office setting.

Mr. Ataraire meanwhile called for compulsory life insurance policies for companies employing at least five workers, saying this will provide employees with greater protection during illness and workplace accidents.

Mr. Tabury noted the importance of quality sleep and proper rest as critical components of workplace wellness and productivity.

Also speaking at the event, Edwin Osmond-Lamptey – Public Relations Manager-KGL Foundation – said his outfit continues to support initiatives in health, youth empowerment, entrepreneurship, education and arts and culture.

According to him, the foundation’s partnership with Millennium Marathon formed part of its broader commitment to promoting health and sports development in the country.

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