A gruelling set of fitness challenges saw brokers at Clarksons raise their biggest amount yet for charity.
The UK group’s annual Charity Giving Day drummed up £250,000 ($296,000) for the Clarkson Foundation, which aims to create meaningful, lasting change around the world through grant awards.
They saw new levels of generosity and participation from employees globally, the broker said.
One challenge was “Survival of the Fittest”, which involved staff taking part in three rounds of repetition-based exercise for 45 seconds at a time, with 15 seconds of rest.
A total of 177 employees took part in 18 teams at eight offices around the world.
They pushed themselves to the limit to complete as many lunges, burpees, kettlebell swings and press-ups as possible.
Individual teams raised donations through their own JustGiving pages, and internal staff were able to place bids on who they thought would win.
Live video streams between the global offices and a countdown timer added to the competitive atmosphere and ensured everyone could be a part of the action, the company added.
Later in the evening, the London event space transformed from a hot gym floor into a black-tie gala dinner venue to play host to the Clarkson Foundation’s first-ever charity auction.
Raffle tickets were bought and bids made to win some very generously donated prizes.
These ranged from weekend breaks in the UK countryside to ski trips in France, with 100% of the proceeds going to the foundation.
Making a difference
Foundation trustee Lily Bagshaw said: “On behalf of all of the trustees, I’d like to extend a big thank you to the Clarksons staff."
“We are immensely proud of the positive impact that has been made to date, but this years’ generosity will ensure that the foundation can continue to make a meaningful difference by funding even more inspiring causes next year and beyond,” she added.
Finance and operating chief Jeff Woyda said: “The charity giving day is just one example of how Clarksons creates an environment that enables our people to take positive action, to help others, and make a difference for the greater good. It is an ethos that we all share globally, and brings us together as a team.”
Woyda said he is increasingly receiving messages relaying how “important and incredible” the charitable work is.
The company described the foundation as being born out of the “embedded values and generosity” of its staff.
