RUNewi
An impressive 830 employees in 186 teams took part in Renewi's popular health and mental wellbeing initiative, the RUNewi challenge. This took place in February, with the aim of encouraging employees to exercise daily and get out into the fresh air on the darkest of winter days. Participants create virtual teams to run, walk or take part in some form of a sporting activity, in order to improve physical and mental health, promote solidarity and raise money for mental health charities.
Renewi donated 15,000 euros for its chosen charities each time the teams covered a distance equivalent to a lap of the world. The teams covered a total of 127,832 kilometres, which is enough to travel around the world three times. These efforts translated into a total donation of €45,000 to:
Sustainable employabilityThe big winner of the RUNewi challenge was the team of Edgar Bijl, Site Manager Commercial Waste Netherlands. Together with his team members Jerry Mourus and Niek Dijkman, they covered 380 kilometres per team member! "A good work-life balance is essential for your mental health," says Edgar Bijl. "My manager keeps an eye on this balance as well. After all, it is important that you can deploy your employees sustainably. “I am in favour of this kind of initiative because sport is an important part of my life. Besides the mental health benefits, it is also good for your physical health. Because I am very competitive I also wanted to win. Next year we will definitely participate and go for the win again," says Bijl. |
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Sport makes me a better employee
In second place with 377 kilometres per member is the team of Nicolas Luisi, Planner Commercial Waste Belgium. "I really liked the RUNewi initiative because you do an activity together with your colleagues with a goal in mind," says Nicolas Luisi. “It is essential for me to do a physical activity and so I train Crossfit every day of the week. I am convinced that sport makes me a better worker. Physical activity not only keeps you physically fit but also mentally. I think it is important that Renewi promotes sport for physical and mental health," says Luisi.
