The University of Iowa has earned the CEO Cancer Gold Standard accreditation from the CEO Roundtable on Cancer, a nonprofit that recognizes workplaces that are exceptionally committed to reducing the risk of cancer among employees.

“As a university, our most important asset is our people,” says UI President J. Bruce Harreld. “Since innovative health care is one of the major areas of education, research, and service at the UI, we are especially proud to earn this accreditation. The health and well-being of our university community is of paramount importance to our values and to our success.”

After George Weiner, director of the Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center, secured the gold standard accreditation for UI Health Care last year, Harreld sought to ensure the university as a whole also met the accreditation requirements.

To earn gold standard accreditation, an employer must establish programs to reduce cancer risk, such as emphasizing prevention by prohibiting tobacco use and supporting tobacco cessation efforts, providing health insurance options that include detecting cancer at its earliest stages, and supporting the needs of cancer survivors in the workplace.

Other accredited employers include the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Cancer Institute, and noted employers of choice such as Johnson and Johnson and State Farm, among others.