Besides FCC Medio Ambiente, the participants at the conference, which included Fremap, the social-security mutual insurance company for work-related accidents and illnesses, agreed that healthy environments and psycho-emotional welfare are key factors in keeping employees healthy and motivated.

Representing FCC Medio Ambiente was the head of the FCC Medio Ambiente’s OHS service in the Canary Islands, Otoniel Santana, whose presentation addressed the positive impact of healthy working environments that extend beyond the workplace to reach out to families and friends.

The Canary Islands Environment Department has set up a sports warm-up programme in the workplace, based on stretching exercises that employees do before they start work. The specific exercises are adapted to each type of job, with the workers warming up and stretching the parts of their bodies that they use the most while they are working. Since this initiative was launched, in June 2012, absenteeism has been cut by 50%..