Jump into Your Sneakers on March 27
The Sneaker Day takes place for a second year in a row on the first spring Friday of 2020 – March 27th.
The mission of the initiative, released by the Benefit Systems Bulgaria, is to inspire working people and their employers to wear sports shoes at their workplace to adapt to a healthier lifestyle.
The origin of the idea
According to the Eurobarometer Research on Sport and Physical Activity 2013-2017, 40% of Bulgarians live a predominantly sedentary lifestyle because of their professions. This is also why the topic of sports and a healthy lifestyle has been among the most discussed in recent years. However, the sea of information on the subject fails to inspire the public to act. Only 20% of the Bulgarian population goes in for sports at least once a week, indicates the National Survey of Physical Activity and Sports Habits of Bulgarians, conducted by MultiSport in 2019.
These results provoke the launch of the Sneakers Day campaign to raise awareness about the need of an active lifestyle.
Sneakers as a catalyst for change
Sneakers are much more than a sports accessory – they are a unique symbol of the mission for an active lifestyle. Therefore, on the day of the campaign, people wear sports shoes at their work place to express their desire to overcome the sedentary lifestyle.
Employers play a very important role – to spread the message. As role models for their employees, they have the challenging task of encouraging their colleagues to wear sports shoes at their workplace and to motivate them to exercise every day.
Every single person, employer or employee, can become a mission ambassador for a more active life and set a good example for his or her relatives and colleagues.
And this contagious enthusiasm is the first step towards collective responsibility for the health of society.
Thirst for sport
During the first edition of the Sneaker Day in 2019, this collective enthusiasm grew into a real ‘thirst’ for sports. More than 200 employers encouraged their employees to wear sports shoes on the day of the campaign. Approximately 50,000 working people entered their workplaces with sneakers.
On social media, hundreds of people from all over the country stated their support for the initiative and found different and creative ways to express it.
And for some employers the 2019 Sneaker Day was not just a day of reflection and a symbolic action, but a time for real action.
In Storytel the working day started with a warm-up. The employees energized themselves with a series of exercises, specially chosen for the Sneakers Day. Moreover, all the employees climbed the stairs in the high building which houses their office – as they do on daily basis.
In Devnya Cement, on the other hand, the “Good morning!” greeting was replaced by, “Are you with sneakers today?” On the day of the campaign, each employee had the opportunity to win a voucher for a sneakers purchase.
Enthusiasm also sprang from the Burgas Territorial Bureau of Statistics, where they celebrated the Sneakers Day with a baton, organized by the employees. Obstacle racing, rope jumping and cycling were just a part of the competitive games that showed the whole team how ‘small steps’ can help them feel healthy every day.
Don’t hesitate to jump in the sneakers on March 27th too! Find out how at: benefitsystems.bg/sneakersday2020
