By Brandon Taube

According to Ralph Waldo Emerson, “The greatest wealth is health.” At CSC, our people are essential to business success. In an attempt to create a healthier employee population, CSC piloted an exercise initiative in the U.S. called the “CSC Walking Challenge” in 2010. The program leveraged the company’s partnership with the American Heart Association (AHA), using their online tool to track individual and team progress. The program generated high levels of interest and enthusiasm among U.S. participants, begging the obvious question, why not expand the program globally?

So, in 2011, CSC introduced the “Global Get Fit Challenge.” Continuing to partner with the AHA and providing our own executive sponsorship to spur the effort, the results have been truly astounding. The goal was to increase levels of exercise while also facilitating networking and camaraderie among employees. It has done just that. The number of participants has nearly quadrupled and the number of teams shot up from 10 in 2010 to 66 worldwide in 2011.

Additionally, participation demographics vary significantly: males and females, ages ranging from 20 to 50+, and employees who self-identified from “sedentary” to “extremely active” on a scale of current exercise level. This emphasis on health and wellness continues to capture the attention of our employees and leadership alike and discussions have already begun in preparation for the 2012 iteration. On a smaller scale, CSC has also begun to explore the idea of convening a grassroots running group. With growing interest and weather breaking, this very informal group would provide another opportunity to meet colleagues and get fit.

While CSC may not train Olympic-level athletes, the emphasis on employee health and wellness continues to be a strong priority for the company and will only continue to increase as the momentum from our current programs grows.