HERO Health

What HERO Health does

HERO Health (Health Enhancement Research Organization) is a US national nonprofit membership organization and think tank, established in 1990 and operating as a fully remote team of 1–10 employees headquartered in Raleigh, NC. Its mission is to advance workplace health and well-being (HWB) research, policy, leadership, and strategy through a member-driven "intellectual co-op" model serving senior HR leaders, Chief Well-Being Officers, corporate wellness decision-makers, and consultants across employers, healthcare systems, universities, and government.

The organization's core products are the HERO Health and Well-being Best Practices Scorecard in Collaboration with Mercer© (launched 2006; maximum 200 points; 3,000+ US completers and 550+ international completers), the NIOSH WellBQ-powered HERO Worker Well-Being Clearinghouse for workforce well-being surveys in English and Spanish, the members-only HERO Hub library, quarterly Think Tank meetings, and an annual HERO Forum co-located with Healthcare, University, and CMO Summits. The Scorecard is hosted on Mercer's Qualtrics-based survey infrastructure, enabling automated scoring and instant assessment reports; the clearinghouse ingests de-identified questionnaire data for research use. Supporting outputs include Benchmark Reports, HERO Briefs, 59+ committee publications, the annual HWB Awards program, webinars eligible for CHES/MCHES CEUs, and a Preferred Provider channel.

HERO generates revenue through five streams: (1) annual Think Tank organizational membership dues, (2) Individual-Solo Expert memberships at $500/year, (3) Student memberships at $25–$50/year, (4) Benchmark Reports sold at $1,500 each, and (5) Preferred Provider annual licensing fees paid by consulting firms, health plans, and health systems (HUB International, Kaiser Permanente, OhioHealth, Capital BlueCross, Mercer). Forum registration and corporate sponsorships — including 2026 sponsorship offerings — provide event revenue. Supplemental funding comes from grants, notably from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Ardmore Institute of Health, plus donations.

Name

HERO Health

Legal name

Health Enhancement Research Organization

Website

http://hero-health.org/

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

HERO is a national leader in the advancement of health and well-being for employees, families and communities through workplace.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Workplace Health and Well-Being Research and Assessment

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Think Tanks, Policy Research & Public Policy Institutes (BPAGAFAO)

akta.pro secondary industry

Capacity Building & Nonprofit Infrastructure Funders (BPAGAKAO)

Keywords

• Workplace wellness research
• Employee well-being assessment
• Corporate health benchmarking
• Wellness best practices scorecard
• Employer health strategy

Headquarters

HQ city

Waconia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: HERO generates revenue primarily through annual membership fees. Think Tank organizational membership, individual solo expert membership ($500/year), and student memberships ($25-$50/year) provide access to resources, events, webinars, the HERO Hub, and member benefits.
2. Benchmark Reports: Customized benchmark reports are sold for $1,500 each, customized by industry group, employer size and region, or against up to 10 organizations. These reports provide aggregated responses to each Scorecard question and average scores.
3. Preferred Provider Program Licensing: Organizations pay an annual fee to become HERO Scorecard Preferred Providers, receiving a custom Scorecard link, quarterly benchmarking data, access to the private resource library, and the Preferred Provider seal. This represents a recurring revenue stream from consulting and service provider partners.
4. Forum Registration & Sponsorship: HERO Forum events generate revenue through attendee registration fees (members receive a 10% discount) and corporate sponsorships. Summits (Healthcare Summit, University Summit, CMO Summit) are also co-located with the Forum.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

HERO (Health Enhancement Research Organization) is a national non-profit think tank that advances workplace health and well-being through a portfolio of research, assessment, and education services. Its flagship offering is the HERO Scorecard, a best-practices assessment tool developed with Mercer that has been completed by more than 3,000 US organizations and 550+ international organizations since 2006, complemented by quarterly Think Tank meetings, an annual Forum, the NIOSH WellBQ-powered Worker Well-Being Clearinghouse, benchmark reports, webinars, and committee-produced research publications.

Product overview

HERO (Health Enhancement Research Organization) is a national non-profit membership organization that serves as a think tank dedicated to advancing best practices in workplace health and well-being. Rather than a unified software platform, HERO offers a portfolio of research tools, educational programs, and professional development services. The core offerings include the HERO Scorecard (a best practices assessment tool developed in collaboration with Mercer©), quarterly Think Tank meetings, an annual Forum conference, the HERO Hub online resource library, and the HERO Worker Well-Being Clearinghouse powered by NIOSH WellBQ. Additional services include Benchmark Reports for customization, webinars for continuing education, committee-produced research publications, and the HERO Awards program. The organization also offers Preferred Provider membership for organizations wanting to distribute the Scorecard, and tiered individual memberships for professionals and students. These offerings work together to connect science and practice, enabling employers to demonstrate the value of a health and well-being employer ecosystem.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• HERO Scorecard: HERO Health and Well-being Best Practices Scorecard in Collaboration with Mercer© - an industry-leading best practices tool for assessing workplace health and well-being strategies
• HERO Think Tank
• HERO Forum
• HERO Worker Well-Being Clearinghouse
• HERO Hub

Products and services

• HERO Health and Well-being Best Practices Scorecard An industry-leading best practices assessment tool, developed in collaboration with Mercer, that helps organizations develop multi-year population health and well-being plans, identify opportunities for improvement, and measure progress over time. The US version has a maximum score of 200 points, with over 3,000 companies having completed it; the International version has over 550 completers.
• HERO Think Tank

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 3,000 companies have completed the US HERO Scorecard; over 550 have completed the International version.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• MercercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2006Mercer collaborates with HERO in the development and ongoing operation of the HERO Scorecard. Mercer is responsible for HERO Scorecard data collection and managing the HERO Scorecard database. The questionnaire is hosted on a third-party vendor's survey platform under Mercer's supervision, with the database residing on Mercer's servers. Mercer also collaborates with HERO to conduct new data analysis published as commentaries or research reports. This is a multi-decade collaboration that forms the operational backbone of HERO's flagship product.
• National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHERO partnered with NIOSH to create the HERO Worker Well-Being Clearinghouse – Powered by the NIOSH WellBQ, an open-source database housing de-identified data from use of the English and Spanish versions of the NIOSH Worker Well-Being Questionnaire (NIOSH WellBQ). HERO has made the NIOSH WellBQ available in an online survey platform to enable organizations to easily administer it to employees. This partnership elevates HERO's research credibility and expands its data infrastructure.
• HUB InternationalcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHUB International is a HERO Scorecard Preferred Provider, authorized to offer the HERO Scorecard to its client base using a custom Scorecard link, providing benchmarking data and Preferred Provider benefits.
• Kaiser PermanentecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKaiser Permanente is listed as a HERO Scorecard Preferred Provider, authorized to distribute the HERO Scorecard to clients and receive aggregated benchmarking data in return.
• OhioHealthcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOhioHealth is listed as a HERO Scorecard Preferred Provider, offering the HERO Scorecard to employer clients and accessing quarterly benchmark data.
• Capital BlueCrosscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCapital BlueCross is a HERO Scorecard Preferred Provider and has collaborated with HERO on benchmark reports and wellness awards programs for employers.
• Business Collaborative for Brain Health (BCfBH)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a Brain Health Partner for the HERO Scorecard ecosystem, supporting the Special Best Practice Scores for Brain Health compiled in 2023 and 2024.
• American Heart AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAmerican Heart Association is a member of the HERO Think Tank and Advisory Group, with Laurie Whitsel, PhD serving on the HERO Advisory Group. AHA co-chairs policy and consensus work with HERO on employee wellness and cardiovascular health.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• National Business Group on Health (NBGH) / HR Policy Association Health Care Policy & Strategy: Employer-led coalition advancing health and benefit policy for large employers, including the Large Employers Health Care Strategy Coalition. Closely comparable to HERO in being a nonprofit, employer-member organization focused on workplace HWB strategy, benchmarking, and policy influence.
• Integrated Benefits Institute (IBI): Nonprofit research and membership organization that benchmarks health and productivity outcomes for employers. IBI's focus on linking workforce health data to business performance is highly analogous to HERO's Scorecard and benchmarking portfolio.
• Wellness Council of America (WELCOA): Nonprofit employer-wellness membership organization offering benchmarking tools, training, and member services to corporate wellness leaders. Directly comparable to HERO in mission, member-base composition, and nonprofit distribution model.
• Global Wellness Institute: Nonprofit research and education organization publishing data, frameworks, and initiatives on the global wellness economy, including a Workplace Wellbeing Initiative co-led by a HERO Senior Fellow. Comparable as a research-driven, member-supported wellness thought-leadership body.

Broad incumbents

• WorldatWork: Larger nonprofit association for total rewards, HR, and compensation professionals, with a broader scope that includes well-being. Comparable as a nonprofit professional membership body serving HR and benefits leaders with research, education, and certifications.
• American Heart Association (Workplace Health): Large nonprofit that collaborates with employers on workplace health initiatives (and is a HERO Think Tank member). Comparable as a mission-driven nonprofit advancing employee well-being research, policy, and programs, but with a far broader funding base.
• Mercer: Global consulting firm and HERO's long-time Scorecard partner that advises large employers on benefits and wellness strategy. Comparable as a workplace HWB advisor and data partner, but operating as a commercial incumbent rather than a member-driven nonprofit.
• Virgin Pulse: Established enterprise well-being and engagement platform serving large employers globally. Comparable as a workplace HWB incumbent competing for the same corporate wellness budget HERO members allocate.

Emerging players

• Limeade: Commercial employee well-being platform offering engagement, well-being, and inclusion programs to employers. Comparable as a workplace HWB solution competing for the same HR/wellness budget HERO members control, though operating as a SaaS platform rather than a nonprofit.
• Wellable: Corporate wellness technology provider offering well-being programs, challenges, and analytics to employers. Comparable as a workplace HWB vendor addressing the same employer pain points HERO targets, but through a SaaS delivery model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCGrhlOmfH_mh0IuPYzLq3Mg/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/heroehm
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/health-enhancement-research-organization-hero-
• Instagraminstagram.com/HEROehm
• Xx.com/heroehm

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about HERO Health