Nestlé UK’s Chief Executive wants to see over one third of the company’s workforce tie their shoelaces tight and walk at least 14,000 steps daily over the next four months.

Having beaten over 900 companies to win the award of the ‘most active global company in the world’ last year, Nestlé has already begun working on retaining the title this year through an almost missionary zeal to continue with its ‘walk-philosophy’. In this context, Paul Grimwood, Nestlé UK CEO, commented that the best way to improve productivity and efficiency at the workplace is to stay healthy by taking positive steps to improve one’s health, such as walking.

The Global Corporate Challenge (GCC) is an ambitious corporate health initiative involving participants from workplaces around the world. Chosen teams aim to complete a virtual walk around the globe in 125 days, keeping a target of 10,000 steps per day per person. Each person wears a GCC pedometer to track his daily walking levels on a website. This year, Nestlé UK has 255 teams participating, with a worldwide participation of over 800 teams.

Staff at Nestlé have been cramming walking into their busy schedule through methods such as having meetings whilst out walking, taking customers out for a walk in the open rather than to a restaurant, and climbing the stairs at work, rather than taking the elevator. If you’re responsible for health and safety in your organisation, click on NEBOSH General Certificate to learn about the importance of promoting a positive health and safety culture in your workplace environment.

Dr David Batman, Nestlé’s head of employee wellness, commented that while companies during recession are finding it difficult to indulge in the ‘luxury’ of walking, Nestlé is acting as an exception and promoting walking as a necessary exercise to stay healthy.