Very bold. Whole Foods, ranked number 18 in Fortune Magazine’s 2010 Top 100 Companies To Work For, has introduced an employee discount program that gives you a better discount if you weigh less, or more specifically, have a lower BMI. Employees were informed of this from a letter sent out by the CEO, John Mackey. In the letter, he explains that it’s not a benefit per say, but more of an incentive for employees to be healthier, and in turn reduce health care costs.

On 2009, Whole Foods spent $150 million on health care costs for employees, so this is their creative way of helping reduce that figure moving forward. All employees receive a 20% discount, but this program will incentify people to the maximum 30% discount threshold off if they meet the cholesterol, BMI, blood pressure measures, and are a non smoker.

I personally think this is actually a good idea. Of course I’m not an expert on this kind of stuff and am not sure what challenges different body types have in meeting these expectations, but I think that a program that is going to help encourage people to be health, while helping the company’s bottom line, is very creative and outside the box. Giving employees a discount, to purchase smarter & healthier choices – where can they go wrong? I know that some people who are obese will have a much further way to go, which is where I’m not sure what I think, but at the same time, perhaps this program could save their life. It could be that extra motivation needed to get their butt in gear and get healthy before it’s too late.

This program is part of their company-wide “Heath Starts Here” initiative that encompasses promoting healthy choices, in-store education, recipes, aligning with other companies like Eat Right America, amongst other things.

On the flip side, do you feel that this is discrimination?

CEO’s letter & Employee Flyer after the jump…