• EMEA-wide initiative to move MUFG baton from Johannesburg to London, raising funds to support the work of Laureus Sport for Good
• MUFG joined Laureus as Global Partner in 2018 – supporting the organisation's mission to use sport to improve the lives of young people
• 'We believe that sport can bring people together and make a positive change and MUFG's Fitprints for Good fundraising challenge is proof of that' says Laureus Academy Member Daley Thompson
• To access images and video for editorial use, click here

Throughout the month of October, employees from MUFG, a Laureus Global Partner, are embarking on a virtual challenge to raise vital funds for Laureus Sport for Good.

The Fitprints for Good campaign will see MUFG staff running, swimming or cycling the distance between Johannesburg and London (21,525km), engaging their teams in key markets throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Kicking off in Johannesburg tomorrow, the Fitprints for Good virtual baton will be passed to MUFG colleagues in Dubai, then on to Almaty, Istanbul and Moscow, before moving to colleagues in Warsaw, and Milan. The virtual baton will then be passed between MUFG offices in Madrid, Paris, Brussels, and Amsterdam, before ending in its final destination in London on October 31.

Laureus Academy Member Daley Thompson, who spent time inspiring the challenge participants in a virtual Q&A, said:

"At Laureus, we believe that sport can bring people together and make a positive change and MUFG's Fitprints for Good fundraising challenge is proof of that. From South Africa to Dubai and throughout Europe, members of the MUFG team will be getting active and raising funds that will make a real difference to the lives of young people around the world.

"On behalf of the entire Laureus Academy, I'd like to thank MUFG for their generous continued support."

The 2020 fundraising effort follows the successful 2019 Fitprints for Good challenge which raised more than £40,000 for Laureus Sport for Good, with MUFG colleagues surpassing their distance travelled target by 9,412km. This year, the team are aiming to move further and raise more funds to support Laureus Sport for Good in their mission to use the power of sport to help young people overcome violence, discrimination and disadvantage.

Zinab Aldaraji, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility at MUFG added:

"The Fitprints for Good campaign is an integral component of MUFG's partnership with Laureus. Despite global lockdowns as a result of COVID-19, sport has taken on a new meaning for many of us and this year's virtual challenge will give us a fantastic opportunity to engage our global team in aid of a vital cause.

"We may be working remotely, but this is a moment for us to come together as a team to help vital grassroots sports projects that desperately need our support around the world."

Over the last 20 years, Laureus Sport for Good has raised more than €150m for the Sport for Development sector, reaching and helping change the lives of almost 6 million children and young people since 2000. Laureus Sport for Good currently supports more than 200 programmes in over 40 countries that use the power of sport to transform lives.