Satino-team takes part in Seven Hills Race (Zevenheuvelenloop)
Optimizing the energy of employees and the organization. There is a nice term for this: vitality management. Training coordinator Hans van Houts interpreted this in sportsmanlike fashion by entering a company team in the Seven Hills Race in Nijmegen. His initiative also included a sustainable element.
Hans van Houts came up with the idea during the Easter lunch. “After playing Eiertje Tik (Slam the Egg) we started talking about exercising. It turned out that lots of people run in their spare time. Later I thought it would be fun to set up a running group within our company. And that fits perfectly into the vitality management initiative.”
Quality assurance and certification coordinator Jos Manders explains why. “We are looking for ways to improve and sustain the vitality of our people. To do so, you first have to identify the starting point. From there you can start planning and measure the results of your policy. We chose to follow the approach used by the Arbo Unie health and safety service. That method is based on the five BRAVO elements: exercise, smoking, alcohol, diet and relaxation (in Dutch, these form the acronym BRAVO).”
Before the summer holidays, Arbo Unie conducted a survey among our employees. “That was done by means of an intranet questionnaire,” explains Jos Manders. “All the data were processed anonymously to produce statistics and a report, which led to some useful guidelines and recommendations. We published an internal newsletter and management is working on drawing up a plan of action with regard to exercise and quitting smoking. Not as anything mandatory, but as an incentive. After all, vitality is a responsibility for the employees themselves.”
Director of Operations Bas Gehlen, an enthusiastic runner himself, suggested entering a Satino team in the Zevenheuvelenloop (Seven Hills Race) on 15 November. When Hans van Houts looked into the race, he was impressed by the sustainable way in which it is organised. Instead of goodie bags, organic catering is provided. There are no paper brochures, just an extensive website. “After looking at the website I immediately contacted the organiser of the Seven Hills Race, Ronald Verbeek,” explains Hans van Houts. “I invited him to come and visit our company and to consider using our Satino Nature toilet paper and paper towels in 2010. We have nearly finalised the agreements on this. I think it's great to have vitality and sustainability go hand in hand in this way.”