Staff of CIBC FirstCaribbean are off the mark and walking their way to healthier lifestyles.

‘Move with Mark’, a staff wellness effort spearheaded by CEO Mark St Hill, challenges employees all across the bank’s 15-country footprint to hit the road, parks or any open space on Thursday afternoons at 4:30 pm.

The initiative, which commenced at the start of the financial year just after he took up the post as chief executive, has been picking up momentum weekly with staffers in Barbados joining St Hill on power walks through the Warrens area and the National Botanical Gardens, Waterford, St. Michael.

On a recent visit to Jamaica, St Hill was joined by managing director Nigel Holness and some members of his staff for a brisk 10-laps around Emancipation Park.

The initiative is also gaining traction in the bank’s Trinidad business, as the staff there have mounted their own wellness programme, including walking. 

The CEO said the bank operates in a fast-paced environment and it was important for employees to maintain a healthy balance. “We have to keep our bodies well-tuned and healthy, to be able to manage the fast-paced and demanding lives we lead these days”, he noted.

“Take stock, listen to your bodies and resolve to become involved in some activity that will improve your wellness.  We tend to make time for everyone else – children, spouses, parents, friends, colleagues – but we rarely make time for ourselves,” he added.

Noting that walking is a great way to relax and unwind and get in some exercise, St. Hill said “every Thursday I am going to wait for you – staff, friends, family, whoever wants to join me in the car park of the Michael Mansoor Building after work.  This is not just a Barbados activity, and I am encouraging every country manager to do the same and wherever in the region I happen to be, I will join.”

The weekly walks are the latest addition to a number of healthy activities undertaken by the regional bank which also works closely with the Healthy Caribbean Coalition (HCC), with which it signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU). HCC regularly conducts events at activities with the bank aimed at promoting health and wellness among staff.