Men’s Fitness has named Sabre Holdings one of America’s fittest companies for 2008. The recognition comes as Sabre Holdings - parent of Travelocity, Sabre Travel Network and Sabre Airline Solutions - enters the fifth year of its highly successful Wellness Program, which has more than 80 percent U.S. employee participation.

Sabre’s Wellness Program, started in 2004, includes fitness, nutrition, stress relief and weight-loss challenges for employees. The company’s Southlake headquarters includes a gym and walking/running trails, as well as free Active Relief Technique sessions with a chiropractor. And employees earn credits toward health insurance premium discounts by participating in health activity programs such as aerobics classes, by completing online wellness assessments, having an annual physical, attending personal development activities such as company sponsored health fairs, getting flu shots, donating blood, and even participating in community charity efforts that include physical activity.

The company offers online wellness seminars as well as wellness challenges on physical activities, fruit and vegetable consumption and stress reduction. Additional pilot programs include a 10-week weight loss program that has already produced an average 17-pound weight reduction among participants plus significant reductions in metabolic risk factors.

Sabre’s Wellness Program has not only created a health culture, but it’s also paid off with lower costs. In 2006, the company’s health care costs rose far less than the national average increase of nine percent. When the final numbers are in, the company expects its 2007 costs to show similar success.

“Wellness is good for our waistlines and for the bottom line,” said Paul Rostron, Executive Vice President of Human Resources at Sabre Holdings. “It saves us money on health care, and we know it improves employee engagement, reduces sick time, and improves productivity among our team. We see it as doing well by doing good. Plus it’s a whole lot of fun, and it makes us feel better.”
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