LEHI, Utah, May 19, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nature's Sunshine Products (Nasdaq:NATR) ("NSP"), a leading natural health and wellness company engaged in the manufacture and direct selling of nutritional and personal care products, was named one of the Healthiest Companies in America in 2014 by Interactive Health of Chicago, IL. Interactive Health evaluates approximately 2,000 companies each year, and in 2014, only 158 companies nationwide earned this recognition. Nature's Sunshine Products was one of only two companies in America that has received this award for eight consecutive years.
Nature's Sunshine Products, a global leader in nutritional products, is focused on helping people live healthier lives. The Company's mission is to transform lives around the world by providing the most innovative and highest quality health solutions. Part of that mission includes encouraging staff to adopt healthier lifestyles. NSP's "culture of health" encompasses a variety of programs throughout the year, including: a 12-week Fitness Challenge; an annual 5K Fun Run/Walk; a Veggie Challenge; a Walktober walking program; gym membership reimbursements; an annual health fair; complimentary company products and more. Employees are able to select the programs and activities they want to participate in and are rewarded for them.
"Our winners are perfect examples of how health outcomes can be improved throughout America," said Cathy Kenworthy, President and CEO of Interactive Health. "Preventive care programs are about much more than just losing weight or quitting smoking – they are a catalyst to transform the way people view health, well-being and their overall lives. The Healthiest Companies in America winners exemplify the long-term positive effects that comprehensive wellness programs can have on the health status of large populations."
"We're extremely proud to earn this award eight years in-a-row," said Gregory L. Probert, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NSP. "This unique recognition demonstrates our Company's ongoing and relentless commitment to health. Our employees are dedicated to maintaining their health through the wellness program and other tools and benefits we offer." This recognition is a tribute to the character of our workforce, the quality of our premium products and our company mission."
Each year, NSP employees see success through Company-sponsored programs with measureable health benefits in key areas, including lower blood pressure, lower LDL cholesterol and triglycerides as well as improved blood glucose levels.
Christine Frazier, Manager of Insurance Benefits and Wellness at NSP, added, "We enjoy tremendous executive support for our wellness program and its many options which have contributed to an improved daily habit of health for all of our employees. Nature's Sunshine is truly part of an elite group to have achieved this status."
NSP believes that healthier employees create a stronger company and a more productive workforce. We strive to support this philosophy each day. Probert concluded, "As a health company, we are setting the example…we are walking the walk."
About Nature's Sunshine Products
Nature's Sunshine Products (Nasdaq:NATR), a leading natural health and wellness company, markets and distributes nutritional and personal care products through a global direct sales force of over 640,000 independent Managers, Distributors and customers in more than 40 countries. Nature's Sunshine manufactures most of its products through its own state-of-the-art facilities to ensure its products continue to set the standard for the highest quality, safety and efficacy on the market today. The Company has four reportable business segments that are divided based on the characteristics of their Distributor base, similarities in compensation plans, as well as the internal organization of NSP's officers and their responsibilities (NSP Americas; NSP Russia, Central and Eastern Europe; Synergy WorldWide; and China and New Markets). The Company also supports health and wellness for children around the world through its partnership with the Sunshine Heroes Foundation. Additional information about the Company can be obtained at its website, www.naturessunshine.com.