Santander employees have participated in a 110-mile charity run as part of a global initiative to raise awareness of the bank’s values.
Sixty employees from 16 different countries ran from London to the bank’s main office in the East Midlands. The race is part of the ‘Santander is you’ global engagement programme.
The international team also had the chance to contribute to the legacy of the 2012 Olympic Games, taking place in London next summer.
Part of the visit involved the team undertaking a volunteering project with pupils from Manor Junior School to plant trees in Mayesbrook Park, a 110-acre park in the east of London which is one of the Olympic legacy sites.
The run, which passed near to 37 of Santander’s branches in the south, began with a 10k run around London's Regents Park.
On the second day the runners, who were divided into six teams, covered 114k. They were split into 11 stages, ranging from 9.29k to 11.9k. At least one runner from each of the teams had to take part in each stage of the run to ensure all teams completed the full course.
Day three involved a 50k race along the Weedon Bec to Foxton Lock, part of the Grand Union Canal route, plus a further 5k race around Santander’s Leicester offices at Carlton Park where competitors were cheered on by their colleagues.
Simon Lloyd, HR director at Santander UK, said: “This event enables us to promote the benefits of working for Santander, as well as raise awareness of our values in an active and engaging way.
“The run, held in a different country each year, allows staff who would generally otherwise not ever meet, to share best practices and develop closer working relationships.”
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