Throughout October, colleagues from MUFG in EMEA have been uniting in lockdown to run, walk, cycle and even dance the combined distance from Johannesburg to London via our regional offices, all in aid of our charity partner, Laureus Sport for Good.

In doing so, we are proud to have collectively covered almost 35,000 kilometres, raising over £45,000 in the process in aid of Laureus, contributing to their efforts to help end violence and discrimination against young people in the region.

Zinab Aldaraji, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility for MUFG in EMEA, said:

"Fitprints for Good 2020 has become more important than ever before. In a year that nobody could have predicted, it was great to be able to unite with colleagues, albeit at safe distances or virtually, and get active for a great cause.

"The work that Laureus is doing is crucial in light of COVID-19 and it's been so encouraging to see our colleagues across the EMEA region really push themselves to support their vital work. It's wonderful to know that the funds everyone has jointly raised will help Laureus protect vulnerable children and young people in the EMEA region in times of need."

In light of regional restrictions, our MUFG colleagues from 15 offices found creative ways to clock up the kilometres safely. The firm virtually got together to enjoy Samba and Afrobeats dance workouts, body pump HIIT sessions, spin classes and much more. Some colleagues were even brave enough to take on the Laureus 'Warrior Mindset' workout, which consisted of challenging exercises that tested participants' physical and mental limits.

Of course, many made the most of the great outdoors too. More than 300 employees took part in an EMEA-wide 5 kilometre run. The MUFG Executive team led by example, enduring a 'Beat the Chiefs' challenge, which saw pairs complete a run and cycle challenge.

Throughout the month, we received additional inspiration from a number of Laureus Ambassadors, who shared their messages of support for MUFG's Fitprints for Good 2020 efforts. Olympic Gold medallist Daley Thompson held a special Q&A session for staff and former England Cricket Captain Michael Vaughan OBE sent a personal message of encouragement to all participants.

We at MUFG pride ourselves on supporting a range of charities and organisations that make a positive difference to local communities across the world, which has become even more important over the course of this year. To read more about how we have supported our communities during COVID-19, please click here.