STEPPing U P TO Th E WELLNEss c hALLENgE

the global corporate challenge (gcc), the world’s largest corporate health initiative, aims to increase fitness levels and promote teamwork within a friendly competitive framework. For the past three years, Methanex corporation has participated in the gcc event – the global pedometer challenge –which typically lasts for a period of sixteen weeks.

As an extension of Methanex’s health and Wellness initiative and supported by the global Occupational Safety and health (gOSh) team, the gCC steers participants to make 10,000 steps per day, the minimum standard set by the World health Organization to reduce the risks of disease.

individual participation in the gCC, tracked by a pedometer supplied through the gCC, logs all steps and motion, including biking and swimming, which the employee enters into the gCC website. The gCC online system then plots progress so that participants may gauge where their teams rank in relation to other Methanex and international teams.

Juliana Pierre, site nurse and Methanex Trinidad’s gCC online site manager, commended Methanex Trinidad’s 98 participants for logging 125,949,826 steps during the gCC journey which ran from May 23 to September 11, 2013. Divided into 14 teams of 7 employees per team, the total energy burnt on site measured 5,078,297 calories, whilst kool Run-ins, led by Rishi Paryag, notably stood out as the most active team.

Recalling the gCC experience, Juliana highlights the connection between behaviours and overall wellness, and emphasizes that the process is “about being honest with oneself. if i have wellness challenges, i can make myself better by challenging myself.”

Sedentary habits make us prone to developing wellness challenges, “so the gCC site offers a holistic support system, including nutrition advice, cultural lessons and virtual interaction to encourage employees to change their lifestyles and become more active.”