Cancer and Careers (CAC) has unveiled its inaugural Best Companies for Working with Cancer Index, recognising 17 employers setting a new standard in workplace support for employees navigating cancer and other serious health conditions.
The launch comes as cancer increasingly impacts working-age adults and reshapes expectations around workplace support, retention and employee wellbeing. Employers are under growing pressure to move beyond policy statements toward meaningful, measurable action.
With the World Health Organization (WHO) projecting a 77% rise in new cancer cases by 2050, employers are facing a future in which workplace cancer support can no longer be treated as a secondary wellbeing issue.
SUPPORTIVE WORKPLACES FOR EMPLOYEES WITH CANCER
The CAC Index identifies 17 companies leading workplace cancer support, based on employee-driven data across 13 dimensions and 152 workplace elements. According to the National Cancer Institute, more than 2 million new cancer cases are diagnosed annually in the United States, with 72.2% occurring in adults aged 20 to 74 – prime employment years.
“For 25 years, Cancer and Careers has sat at the intersection of health and work,” said Rebecca Nellis, Executive Director of CAC, the workplace advocacy programme of the CEW Foundation. “This Index transforms that expertise into a roadmap for how companies can successfully balance employee need, company culture and business realities while fostering supportive workplace environments.”
BEST WORKPLACES FOR EMPLOYEES LIVING WITH CANCER
The Best Companies for Working with Cancer in 2026 are:
- AbbVie
- Best Buy
- Blood Cancer United
- Haymarket Media Group
- L’Oréal
- Lloyds Banking Group
- Marriott International
- Maven Partnership
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
- Merck
- Nestlé
- Pfizer Inc.
- Publicis Groupe
- Renault Group
- Sanofi
- Stellantis
TOP BENEFITS AND SUPPORT FOR EMPLOYEES WITH CANCER
The Index found several common themes among top-ranked employers:
- 100% provide flexible schedules, remote work and physical accommodations
- 94% offer phased return-to-work programs
- 94% provide confidential HR support channels
- 88% provide reduced schedules with full benefits
- 82% extend paid medical leave beyond legal requirements
Leading employers are also going beyond traditional workplace benefits:
- 59% offer PTO accrual during leave and paid micro-breaks
- 47% provide paid time off for clinical trial participation
- 29% cover clinical trials not included in insurance
The report also highlights growing employee expectations around workplace support:
- 72% of employees say public commitment to supporting workers with cancer is important
- 69% say it would increase trust in employers
- 60% say it would influence job decisions
WORKING WITH CANCER
Research from Reframe Cancer found that 73% of cancer survivors reported a lack of workplace adjustments when returning after treatment, while 11% said they would leave their job because of insufficient support. “A significant gap remains between awareness and action,” said Mark Stephenson, CEO of Reframe Cancer.
Experts warn that inadequate support can contribute to burnout, absenteeism, presenteeism and avoidable talent loss. According to recent research, serious medical conditions such as cancer account for 27% of long-term absences and 8% of short-term absences, so it makes sense for employers to provide meaningful and practical support.
As cancer diagnoses continue to rise globally, employers can no longer afford to underestimate the impact the disease is having on employees, workplace culture and long-term business resilience.
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