As you may know, tobacco kills half of its users, including one million of people every year in China. What you may not know is that in China, over 700 million people are routinely exposed to harmful second-hand smoke every day, resulting in 100,000 deaths a year from exposure to second-hand smoke. The best way to reduce such harms is to make indoor spaces, including workplaces, 100% smoke-free. This means no indoor smoking rooms or indoor smoking areas of any kind; smokers are simply required to step outdoors to smoke.

Smoking in the workplaces is not just unhealthy, it exacts a cost on businesses. It raises operational costs and reduces productivity by adversely affecting the health of all workers. By joining the pledge, corporate leaders can signal their commitment to attractive, competitive workplaces while protecting the health of its workforce.

To kick off the campaign -- "It's your right, it's my responsibility" – WHO China together with China CDC will host a kick-off event on July 16th 2018. Several well-known CEOs in China and Western Pacific Region together with a select group of corporate leaders that have already made their offices 100% smoke-free are invited to join the event to jointly launch the smoke-free corporate pledge.