City of Cape Town employees will soon have easier access to healthier food and beverages at work, as the municipality rolls out its new Good for You Healthy Food Guidelines. This initiative is designed to benefit Cape Town staff who want better nutrition at the workplace.
Staff health survey shows rising risks
A recent City staff survey revealed that 30% of employees have high blood pressure and 15% have abnormal blood sugar levels, increasing their risk of diabetes and heart disease. Staff engagement data also showed strong demand for change, with 91% supporting healthier food options in workplace and City-managed settings. For the Cape Town staff, these statistics highlight urgent health considerations.
Healthy food initiative launched at Civic Centre
“Last year, our clinics screened more than 740 000 people for diabetes and hypertension and treated over 128 000. Treatment alone is not enough, and we’re taking another step towards preventing these lifestyle diseases. It starts with healthy food, its availability and cost,” said Councillor Francine Higham, Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services and Health.
She added: “Our aim is to give people the option to choose healthier food. If we get this right, it will help us build a city where healthier choices are the easier choices.” This is especially true for Cape Town staff who benefit when healthier options are made the default.
The initiative, launched at the Cape Town Civic Centre on 12 February, equips food vendors to provide healthier options. An incentive system has also been introduced to encourage compliance with the guidelines. Both vendors and Cape Town staff are set to benefit from this food quality improvement.
Partnerships key to success
Alderman Theresa Uys, Mayoral Committee Member for Corporate Services, said “We hope this starting point opens the door to create healthier food environments across our city. Partnerships work better than instructions, and the vendors have eagerly embraced this new journey.” This new journey will be positive for both vendors and Cape Town staff.
City sets example for other municipalities
Joseph Ngamije, Deputy Director for Africa at the Partnership for Healthy Cities, said: “By embedding nutrition standards into procurement, vending, and workplace settings, the City is taking practical, evidence-based steps that reduce the risk of hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, and setting an example other cities can follow.” Importantly, Cape Town staff are among the first to experience these new standards.
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