Newrest: sporting and supportive challenges around the world

A look back at the sporting and supportive initiatives undertaken by Newrest units around the world for the “One Team Unlimited Challenge”.

Every year, Newrest teams take up challenges in their units to strengthen team spirit, unite for a cause and surpass themselves as a team.

Triathlon d’Oléron for Pink October (France) : The France inflight unit took up the challenge of participating in the Oléron triathlon in October 2023. Five employees from various departments tackled a demanding course of 750 m swim, 20 km bike ride and 5 km run. Registration fees were donated to breast cancer research. Well done to them!

Climb in Bolivia: 22 collaborators in Bolivia undertook a 2,000-metre ascent! Not only did they rise to this physical challenge, but they also collected garbage along the way and brought equipment to the volunteer firemen of Santiago de Chiquitos, who are fighting forest fires.

Soccer tournament in South Africa: 32 collaborators from 3 units in South Africa took part in a soccer tournament in aid of the Ubuhle Bezwe Child Care Centre association, which supports disadvantaged children. Team spirit and solidarity were the order of the day.

Walk for ODYSSEA on Reunion Island: Around twenty collaborators from the inflight and retail units on Reunion Island walked 5 km in support of breast cancer research. A day dedicated to commitment and volunteering.

“Binter Night Run” in Gran Canaria (Spain): Spanish teams took part in the 10th edition of the “Binter Night Run de Gran Canaria”. This charity run raised funds for the “Banco de Alimentos de Las Palmas” organization, which helps disadvantaged families.

Olympics in Uganda: Newrest Uganda organized an Olympics for its collaborators, with sports and fun games such as tug-of-war, sack race and egg race. Participants also cleaned up the path leading to the Newrest site, demonstrating their commitment to the environment.

Colombia embarked on an ecological challenge: some 30 collaborators left Bogotá to travel north of the city to “Periland Eco Park in Cajicá”. They took part in a stretching session led by Nelson Rico, their wellness coordinator. Afterwards, they discovered native plant species and local biodiversity.

Each participant received two native species to plant, thus actively contributing to sustainable development and leaving a green footprint in the Periland eco-park. The Green Forests Foundation issued certificates for each species planted, partially offsetting the carbon footprint.

Costa Rica at the top: On December 15, Newrest teams in Costa Rica took on an exceptional challenge. They hiked 10 km up the Mantra Trail, offering magnificent views of the surrounding countryside. This mountain outing strengthened the bonds between colleagues and was a convivial moment.

Scandinavia takes on the Montane Kong Vinter: Newrest Scandinavia successfully took on the Montane Kong Vinter challenge, a team race involving 20 km of orienteering and running, 50 km of mountain biking and climbing in the Copenhagen area. The winners finished within the allotted time, surpassing their limits and enjoying the magnificent landscapes.

Soccer tournament in Nigeria: In Nigeria, Newrest teams organized several soccer tournaments between January and February 2024 at Airforce Secondary School in Ikeja. The days consisted of 2 soccer matches per day, with 6 teams from LOS units and 4 teams from ABV units. A tug-of-war game was also organized for the women. All the teams had a great time!

São Paulo International Marathon 2024 (Brazil): On April 7, three members of the Newrest GRU/Brazil team took on the challenge of the São Paulo marathon. They underwent rigorous training with a professional runner to prepare for the event. The race took place over 42 km through the bustling streets of São Paulo, bringing together over 18,000 runners in four different races. A great performance by our 3 finishers!

Successful rowing challenge for Newrest Turkey: On May 9 and 10, our teams in Turkey took up the internal “One Team Unlimited Challenge”. Divided into two groups of 15 people, 30 collaborators took part in this adventure, with four people in each canoe. They found themselves rowing on the Bosphorus, in Istanbul’s famous Halic (Golden Horn) district, a place steeped in history. The second day saw a friendly competition between the participants on the undulating waters of the Sea of Marmara. An unforgettable experience that strengthened the team spirit and determination of our employees!

Climbing Mount Snowdon (UK): Last week, 11 collaborators from our London Heathrow and Manchester units took on the challenge of climbing one of the UK’s highest peaks. Snowdon is a 1,085-meter-high mountain in the Snowdonia region of North Wales. They hiked 14.4 km along the Llanberis trail and reached the summit after a climb of 2 hours and 45 minutes. Well done to all team members for their achievement, they all showed determination and pushed their limits to meet this challenge.

Riding through the city of Phnom Penh (Cambodia): Some forty of our collaborators in Cambodia embarked on a 27 km bike ride to discover the city of PHNOM PENH. Despite extreme weather conditions in the early hours of the morning, this adventure was a great example of team spirit, mutual aid, and solidarity, which enabled them to successfully complete the long journey. Continuing their CSR commitment, they took the initiative to clean up the Bassac river canal. These shared moments are proof that when we work together, we can achieve great things, while taking care of our planet.

Eco-Responsible Orientation Walk (Normandy, France): Our collaborators in Normandy organized a 5km orienteering walk on May 17 in the Roumard forest.

31 collaborators took part in the challenge, including 19 from the Barentin central kitchen and 12 from the DR Ouest head office. Teams had to answer a series of riddles to reach each stage, and then make their way around the forest using the maps available on site.

By combining physical activity with awareness of important issues such as food waste, waste management, sustainable purchasing, digitalization and health and safety, they created an interactive and engaging learning experience.

These initiatives reflect Newrest’s values: surpassing oneself, solidarity, and team spirit. The Group looks forward to the next challenges from its teams around the world! The next challenges will be in Morocco, Atlanta(US) and France, with teams from our head office in Toulouse and several other cities around the country. Stay tuned!