Sodexo staff take on 10,000 steps challenge for Physical Activity pledge

31st January 2012, 10:56am

Sodexo, a leading provider of on-site service solutions, has signed up to the Physical Activity in the Workplace pledge, part of the Department of Health’s Responsibility Deal.

A total of 75 Sodexo employees in groups of five will be competing with each other in a six-week challenge to see which team can rack-up the most steps.

The competition kicked-off yesterday (Monday 30 January) at Sodexo UK and Ireland HQ in Holborn. All participants have been given pedometers that will record the number steps, distance and calories burned. 

Together, the team hopes to achieve over 31 million steps by the end of the six-week challenge which is equivalent to approximately 22,000 kilometres or over half way round the equator!

Other activities which have been organised by Sodexo Healthwise champions Ben Edwards, communications manager, and Sean Page, database research manager, that support the Physical Activity pledge include weekly staff walking and running clubs, which were launched last summer. 

This involves lunchtime walks and after-work runs along some of City's famous sites including the London Eye, the Millennium Bridge, St Paul's Cathedral and Fleet Street.

Tony Cooke, government relations director and six-week challenge lead at Sodexo, said: "Since walking can be done almost anywhere, any time, in any weather, it means that you can easily fit it into your daily routine.
 
"By turning the activity into a competition, it adds an element of fun and excitement for staff. I am already seeing many teams coming up with ideas and tactics on how to increase their daily steps."

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