From Staden to Honolulu: Alheembouw and Steenoven Walk 40 Million Kilometers in The Pink Walk

In May, the West Flemish construction companies Alheembouw and Steenoven joined forces to participate in The Pink Walk. They encouraged their employees to take as many steps as possible from May 1 through May 31. “A wonderful initiative that brings people together,” says organizer Stefanie Dejonckheere. “Especially since our company consists of both office staff and laborers, this was a great project to involve both groups.”

Although several colleagues had already participated in previous editions on their own initiative, this was the first time Alheembouw and Steenoven had taken part. After an internal survey via an online form, no fewer than 140 employees signed up. “We were pleasantly surprised by the level of enthusiasm. It really showed us that the initiative resonated deeply within our company,” continues Els De Clercq.

Around the World Together

To give participants an extra boost of motivation, the Marketing team launched an internal campaign. Posters were put up, word-of-mouth spread widely, and an ambitious goal was set: to walk around the world together. For every five million steps, the company would donate 500 euros to Pink Ribbon. “The fact that we could support the charity financially just by walking certainly provided extra motivation. Everyone knows someone who has been affected by breast cancer, so this was a great way for us to raise awareness about it,” Els continues.  

Given the ambitious goal, colleagues regularly asked for updates on the world tour. They could follow the progress not only on the Alheembouw website, but also through the weekly newsletter. This way, they knew how far along the team was on their journey, how much money had been raised so far, and who had broken a personal record or participated in an event.  

In the end, after 31 days, they reached a total of 40 million steps. This allowed Alheembouw and Steenoven to make a donation Pink Ribbon no less than 7,500 euros to Pink Ribbon . “We haven’t circled the globe yet, but this wonderful result has already taken us all the way to Honolulu. We look forward to continuing our journey during the next edition of The Pink Walk, in October,” Stefanie concludes.