Academy Award Winning Actress Goldie Hawn and Mark Bertolini, Chairman, CEO and President of Aetna, to Launch “Mindful Works” During the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland
Ethan Slavin, 860-273-6095orKimberly McNatt, 786-888-1695CEO
Goldie Hawn and Mark Bertolini – two prominent proponents of mindfulness – will launch a unique collaboration between their two organizationsduring The World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. On Thursday, Jan. 23, 2014 from 6:30 p.m. – 8 p.m., Hawn and Bertolini will participate in a panel discussion on mindfulness and provide information on the new program, “Mindful Works.” The discussion will be moderated by Arianna Huffington, the President and Editor-in-Chief of the Huffington Post Media Group and author of the forthcoming book on mindfulness, “Thrive: Third Metric to Redefining Success and Creating a Life of Well-Being, Wisdom, and Wonder."
“Mindful Works” is a collaboration between Aetna (NYSE: ) and The Hawn Foundation focused on globally scaling MindUP™, The Hawn Foundation’s signature evidence-based program for educators and children. MindUP consists of tools and strategies based on neuroscience, social and emotional learning, mindfulness and positive psychology to help people center, focus and thrive.
“Research has shown that highly stressed individuals are at greater risk for many different health conditions, such as coronary heart disease, some cancers, diabetes, depression and anxiety, and obesity. Through innovative mind-body stress reduction programs with Aetna employees, we have demonstrated that mindfulness-based programs can reduce stress and improve people’s health,” Bertolini said. “Healthier people are more productive and happier. We are pleased to work with The Hawn Foundation to highlight initiatives that continue to build an evidence-base showing that mindfulness-based programs can help people achieve better overall health and wellness.”
Adds Hawn, “If you can teach people about their most important resource, their brain, show them tools and strategies for self-regulation, stress management, how to achieve greater focus and the power in choosing optimism, you’ll have a population that becomes more resilient and able to deal more effectively with the challenges we will all face as a 21 century workforce.”
The “Mindful Works” collaboration will include a research component to the program designed to show the results and outcomes for improvements to workforce productivity, engagement and satisfaction.
The panel discussion in Davos is the starting point for a productive, proactive collaboration that both Hawn and Bertolini believe can help improve the health and wellness of people around the world. On Friday at The World Economic Forum, Goldie will continue the conversation during “An Idea, An Insight” in the World Congress Center from 2:45 – 3:15 pm.
The Hawn Foundation has been operating and training educators and children with their MindUP™ program for over 10 years and are now operating in seven countries including Australia, Canada, China, UK, USA, Venezuela and coming soon: Serbia and Croatia. In 2014, The Hawn Foundation will also launch adaptations to their program that include animation, healthcare, workforce and family initiatives.
Aetna is one of the nation's leading diversified health care benefits companies, serving an estimated 44 million people with information and resources to help them make better informed decisions about their health care. Aetna offers a broad range of traditional, voluntary and consumer-directed health insurance products and related services, including medical, pharmacy, dental, behavioral health, group life and disability plans, and medical management capabilities, Medicaid health care management services, workers' compensation administrative services and health information technology products and services. Aetna's customers include employer groups, individuals, college students, part-time and hourly workers, health plans, health care providers, governmental units, government-sponsored plans, labor groups and expatriates. For more information, see .