Mercer L.L.C. and the Edina, Minnesota-based Health Enhancement Research Organization have launched an international version of their U.S. scorecard that analyzes employers’ health and wellness best practices.

The international HERO Health and Well-being Best Practices Scorecard in Collaboration with Mercer allows employers to evaluate their workplace health initiatives with an inventory of current best practices compiled by industry leaders, the organizations said Monday in a joint statement.

The international scorecard follows a U.S. version that allows employers to benchmark their wellness program and outcomes against companies of similar sizes and industries, the organizations said. The U.S. version was released in 2008.

According to the statement, once employers complete the international scorecard, benchmarks will become available that allow employers to compare their programs to others in their own country and in other countries where the scorecard is used.

The international scorecard asks employers to provide information about organizational and cultural support for employee health and well-being, specific program offerings, integration of health and well-being programs with other areas of the company, strategies to encourage participation, program costs and outcomes, according to the statement.

After completing the scorecard online, employers will receive their best practice scores for promoting employee well-being, the organizations said.

“Companies benefit in multiple ways by completing the HERO Scorecard: from access to information about best practices and comparative benchmarking, to planning for future program enhancements and building internal consensus for improvements,” Steven Noeldner, Mercer partner and chair of the HERO Research Study Subcommittee, said in the statement. “Providing this breadth of analysis and comparison for domestic and international business will streamline efforts for employers and give them a competitive advantage in building a healthy workforce now and in the future.”