The results are in! Our first Global Health Challenge 2022 is off to a successful start

Over 150 teams and 800 employees participated, and collectively walked over 463 million steps

In October 2022, we launched our first Global Health Challenge, and the results are staggering! Over 150 teams and 800 employees participated from Australia, UK, USA, the Czech Republic, Romania and Italy.

By the end of the 8-week challenge, we had collectively walked over 463 million steps. That’s the equivalent of 92% of the distance between the Earth and the moon, or just under nine laps around Earth!

It’s not surprising that we made it so far when we look at how far some of our teams walked; in first place, the Myrmidons from Steelforce in Brisbane, Australia took over 7.2 million steps, the team in second place, Up the Irons! Ostrava! from LIBERTY Ostrava in the Czech Republic, took just under 6.4 million steps, and the team coming in third, the Dawn Hunters, from LIBERTY Magona in Italy, took just under 6.1 million steps.

We’ve been overwhelmed by the level of participation in the Challenge, and it was wonderful to see so many people across the globe getting involved and sharing their health challenge journeys, including photos from their walks, step progress charts, walking route maps, and messages of support for each other.

We’ve received feedback from participants saying the challenge has changed their lives, and that they’re already seeing significant improvements in their health and wellbeing. I’m so proud of much we have achieved, I’m really pleased that the challenge has had such a positive impact.

Fran Nores, Global Head of Safety at GFG Alliance

While we are proud of our biggest steppers, we’re equally proud of the participants who started the challenge just to step out of their comfort zones, to be more active and improve their health, and there were many. Many participants have shared that the challenge has “been literally life-changing” and that they’ve completely transformed their health. Colleagues who had never walked for exercise before, now report that they can’t miss a day, many continue to look forward to their daily walks and jogs, and participants who have exceeded their personal goals.

The challenge has also brought out an amazing team spirit, with participants motivating and supporting each other, and celebrating the wins of other teams. The challenge has brought people together to collectively develop healthy habits to improve our health and wellbeing.

Our health and wellbeing play a fundamental part in the quality of our lives, and also influence safety in the workplace; if we’re not feeling our best, we’re at a higher risk of making an error and being injured.

This is why the Health Challenge is important because it helps create a safer and healthier workplace and can also enhance our lives outside of work.

Fran Nores, Global Head of Safety at GFG Alliance

With such an amazing outcome, medals are being awarded to the top 20 teams and several other stand-out individuals for capturing the spirit of the challenge.

Top 20 medal recipients

	Team name	Location	Team members	Total steps
1	Myrmidons	Steelforce Brisbane, Australia	Jason Dudman, Jamie Szabo, Neil Van Egmond, Philip Plant, Dave Williams	7,208,998
2	Up the Irons! Ostrava!	LIBERTY Ostrava, Czech	Petr Peloušek, Kamil Beran, Blanka Holaniková, Marcel Janošec, Petr Tomaňa	6,395,517
3	Dawn Hunters	LIBERTY Magona, Italy	Guido Borselli, Patrizia Paperini, Alessandra Signorini, Lara Fabbri, Monica Frosini	6,095,187
4	Sinter Galati	LIBERTY Galati, Romania	Dobrin Toader Craciun, George Petrea, Nelu Radu, Iulian Mocanu, Costel Pomana	6,075,565
5	Silesian walkers	LIBERTY Ostrava, Czech	Martin Jaroš, Martin Parchański Bc., Karel Tvrdý Ing., Radim Meisel, Petr Horkel	5,944,192
6	The Elite	InfraBuild Reinforcing Perth, Australia	Magan Balakisten, Marvin Roman, Husein Albashri, Celestino Coelho, Paul Brider	5,566,788
7	Drayton Hill Wood Ducks	InfraBuild Steel Centre Toowoomba, Australia	Adam Kerrigan, Paul Ambrosiussen, Nathan Goos, Kent Fairminer, Brandon Lockel	5,136,243
8	The Go Getters	InfraBuild Steel Centre Coopers Plains, Australia	Peter Davidson, Niel Struik, Lisa McGrory, Jason Jenness, Ross McCall	5,086,316
9	QLD Reo Rushers	InfraBuild Mesh Brisbane/ARC Meadowbrook, Australia	Shane Grigg, Wayne Miller, Trevor Eldridge, Ethan Buranyi, Adam Shannon	4,862,835
10	If you’re walking you’re not working	LIBERTY Newport, UK	Steven Davies, Paola Menghi, Alex Farmer, Mo Abdisalam, Gina Lewis	4,840,176
11	Stocksbridge Athletes Foot	LIBERTY Stocksbridge HVM, UK	Stewart Jenkinson, Wayne Palfreyman, Chris Wood, Kieran Dinsdale, Mark Fretwell	4,779,859
12	Pink Panthers	InfraBuild Wire Solon, USA	Dawn Russo-Brooks, Ben Curtis, Darlynn Connor, Rose Kenney, Siri Khamphouy	4,770,042
13	InfraSteppers	InfraBuild Manufacturing, Australia	Shane Murphy, David Kelly, Anthony Micallef, Raj Gadjada, Francois Van Zyl	4,659,227
14	2 Legs of Steel	Steelforce Sydney, Australia	Andre De Oliveira, Matthew Robertson, Ryan Metcalfe, Daniel Patene, Jordan Zarka	4,635,045
15	Stonožky	LIBERTY Ostrava, Czech	Ivana Tománková, Jana Ranochová, Rita Šimková, Pavla Bradnová, Kamil Bobek	4,578,761
16	Team Lochaber	ALVANCE Aluminium, Scotland UK	Rosie Flannigan, Steven Pollock, Simon Andrews, Colleen MacLean, Catriona Jackson	4,511,203
17	NH15	LIBERTY Ostrava, Czech	Kristýna Fryčková, Radim Foltýn, Jozef Chmura, Ondřej Foltýn, Eva Radová	4,362,014
18	The Proclaimers	SIMEC Tahmoor Mining, Australia	Phil Priest, David Waldock, Craig Hooke, Tom Henry, David Rigg	4,349,720
19	Phat Chance	SIMEC Tahmoor Mining, Australia	Andrew Swanston, Adam Trowbridge, Neil Moran, Andrew Milne, Zach Blay	4,256,819
20	Stopaři	LIBERTY Ostrava, Czech	Miroslava Juříčková, Naděžda Janošcová, Petr Pastucha, Zbyněk Novák, Pavel Zivala	4,153,707

Spirit of the challenge medal recipients

1. Walter Sossa – SIMEC Mining Whyalla, Australia  – for taking massive ‘steps’ towards improved health.
2. Joey Mcauley – ARC Hobart, Australia – for sharing his health challenge journey and for supporting other participants
3. Bob Kebby – Newcastle Rod Mill, Australia – for actively promoting the challenge.
4. Sally Turner – Austube Mills, Australia – for inspiring, supporting and motivating her team to transform their health