Employee volunteering

Novo Nordisk’s vision to defeat diabetes is at the heart of the company’s employee volunteer programme TakeAction!.

The TakeAction! programme, launched in 2003, encourages employees to integrate the company’s Triple Bottom Line approach into their own work lives. The programme provides an opportunity to engage in voluntary activities and a forum for sharing best practice. All activities are developed and carried out by Novo Nordisk employees during working hours. The aim is to support the company’s business objectives while achieving social and/or environmental objectives in the communities in which the company operates.

TakeAction! activities range from small, but meaningful gestures to larger community outreach.

Below is a small selection of recent TakeAction! examples.

Denmark: Four-year-olds in full swing
There was plenty of hopping, dancing, running and playing on 7 February 2007 when Novo Nordisk in Kalundborg opened the doors for the first of 10 exercise days for 200 preschool children at the site’s recreation centre. Read more

Tunisia: Supporting colleague living with diabetes
Novo Nordisk employees at the Tunisian affiliate pooled their resources to buy an air-conditioning unit for their colleague Zuheira. She has type 1 diabetes and found it difficult to eat properly during a heatwave in the Tunisian capital of Tunis. Read more

Switzerland: teaching children about health
During a 'health week' at a local school, eight Novo Nordisk employees at the Swiss affiliate became temporary teachers, inventing entertaining and health-related activities that integrated into the school's curriculum. Read more

Thailand: awareness of the elderly
The entire staff of Novo Nordisk Thailand helped raise diabetes awareness at a community centre for the enderly in Bangkok. Blood glucose was monitored, advice given on diet and exercise, and the day ended with games and a traditional Thai 'water blessing'. Read more

The Philippines: Raising diabetes awareness among companies
Novo Nordisk's affiliate in the Philippines held its first diabetes awareness programme for 100 local office workers. Their objective: to make a lasting impression. Read more

The Novo Nordisk School Challenge
A key TakeAction! activity is the Novo Nordisk School Challenge. As part of the company’s ‘Young Voices Changing Diabetes’ initiative that provides a number of activities aimed at young people, it was launched in 2005 and encourages employees to visit their local schools and teach children about healthy living in collaboration with the local class teacher. As just one example, in 2006, eight Novo Nordisk employees at the Swiss affiliate became temporary teachers during a ‘health week’ at a local school, inventing entertaining and health-related activities that were integrated into the school’s curriculum. Fore more examples see here.

The School Challenge website provides online educational materials, tips and ideas on how to get started, and background information on healthy living and prevention of type 2 diabetes. Worldwide, more than 46,500 children from 21 countries participated in a Novo Nordisk School Challenge activity in 2006.

The volunteer opportunity
Since 2003, Novo Nordisk employees have had the opportunity to apply to become volunteers for three weeks at a local diabetes clinic in a developing country as part of the TakeAction! programme. The main purpose of the volunteer opportunity is to train and support local staff at the clinics in establishing better diabetes care, laboratory techniques and procedures, and to support the treatment of patients. In return the volunteers gain a valuable insight into diabetes care in the country and meet the health care professionals and patients that rely on insulin to sustain their lives. In 2003-04 twelve employees volunteered at a diabetes clinic in Tanzania that initially was established with funds raised through TakeAction! activities. In 2005, the volunteer opportunity moved to Malaysia where fourteen employees have volunteered at diabetes clinics in Maran and Kuala Rompin on the country’s less developed south east coast.

TakeAction! Award
Each year, a TakeAction! Award honours the best activity of the year. In 2006, the award was given to Novo Nordisk in Germany, where almost 100 employees organised a large diabetes youth summer camp: CampD. More than 650 young people attended the camp, where they were encouraged to live their life at full speed. The event also increased diabetes awareness among key opinion leaders.

Activities and funding worldwide
More than 2000 employees were engaged in social and environmental activities in 2006, and more than 346,000 Danish kroner were raised for various causes. The World Diabetes Foundation (WDF) is the main recipient of the funds collected via TakeAction!. However, many affiliates also choose to support local initiatives that provide help to people in need in the local community.

TakeAction! is coordinated by corporate headquarters, which provides participants with campaign materials, tips, tools, guidelines and best practice sharing. Policies and guidelines serve to ensure that TakeAction! initiatives are conducted in compliance with the standards and practices to which Novo Nordisk adheres.

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