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HDFC Bank has been declared as the ‘Most Active Company’ in the inaugural Stepathlon 2012 – a 100-day race around a ‘virtual’ world.
Stepathlon, organized by Stepathlon Lifestyle is an annual mass participation event for companies of all sizes, the first edition of which took place from September 20 to December 28, 2012.
HDFC Bank enrolled 1,845 employees (‘Stepathletes’) in Stepathlon 2012, who as a company walked a total of 780,556 kilometers at a daily step average of 11,114 steps (7.11 kilometres per day) by each employee.
They were followed by Mahindra and Mahindra and Titan Industries, who placed second and third overall, respectively, as the ‘Most Active Company’ participating in Stepathlon 2012.
The ‘Most Active Team’ in Stepathlon 2012 was HDFC Bank Ltd’s ‘East India Company’. This team of 5 was the first to cross the finish line and covered a staggering 12,628 kilometers over the 100-day race at a daily step average of 40,367 steps covered by each team member.
Ravi Krishnan, CEO and founder of SLPL, was elated by the overwhelming response from companies in the inaugural year of Stepathlon.
“It is encouraging to have had so many companies, big, medium, and small, participate in this competition, which underlines the fact that business leaders are aware of the critical importance of a happier, healthier workforce in order to achieve business goals”.
Over 21,000 Stepathletes comprising 4,247 teams from 143 companies across 132 Indian cities participated in Stepathlon 2012, a pedometer-based mass participation event. Companies were encouraged to enter as many teams as they choose, with each team comprising five employees (‘Stepathletes’) from single or multiple locations. Each Stepathlete wore a pedometer (a step-counting device) and entered their daily steps on the Stepathlon course website.
These steps were converted into kilometers and their team’s position was mapped on Stepathlon’s highly engaging and interactive online platform. The teams competed both internally and against teams from other companies, locally and globally in a race around a ‘virtual’ world across more than 40 unique locations.
“Thanks to the 100 days of Stepathlon, I got more conscious about my health and well-being and ended up losing 10 KGs and feel a lot better”, said Priyo Sahu of HDFC Bank Ltd’s leading team, East India Company.
Stepathletes posted creative ways to increase their step count on the Stepathlon course site. “I clocked 21,700 steps one Saturday by starting my day at the gym followed by shopping, taking my baby for a walk to the park, and going to a dance class in the evening”, said Shrutimala Phukan of Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd.