It’s the second year the PCT has sponsored this award in the prestigious Brighton and Hove Business Awards (BAHBAs).

“Good health is good business,” says Tom Scanlon, the PCT’s director of public health.

“The city has the highest absenteeism rate in the South East area yet we know many local employers care about the health and well-being of their staff and actively promote healthy living and a healthy work-life balance. Employers around the city are also increasingly taking up the services for staff available through the primary care trust - smoking cessation support, diet and exercise opportunities and mental wellbeing support,” he says.

“We are proud to sponsor the Healthiest Workplace Award for the second year running to recognise the achievements of these employers and look forward to receiving lots of entries,” he adds.

The judges will be looking for the business that does the most to protect and promote the health and wellbeing of its employees while actively promoting healthy living and working conditions.

To find out more and how to enter click on the Brighton & Hove Business Awards website at www.bahbas.org.uk The closing date for entries is Thursday 10 July and the awards event is at the Hilton Brighton Metropole on 26 September.

Paul Bonett, director of the Kemp Town estate agents Bonett’s, was last year’s Healthiest Workplace Award winner.

He says: “It was great to be the first winners of the Healthiest Workplace Award in recognition of our attitude to health, such as cycling to appointments, supporting healthy food choices and out of work sports activities. Encouraging staff to live healthily positively affects your bottom line in more ways than one! Show you care and enter this year’s award.”

Brighton and Hove City Teaching Primary Care Trust is sponsoring the award as part of the partnership work with Brighton and Hove City Council through the Health, Work and Wellbeing initiative with businesses across the city.

“Staff are at the heart of every business. To help businesses promote staff health and wellbeing and realise their business potential, we have also launched a new Health, Work and Wellbeing website with healthy workplace guidelines, information about local training, events and resources to support employers to create businesses fit for the future,” says Louise Sigfrid, healthy workplace adviser.

The new website is at www.workwellbrightonhove.nhs.uk