Why Walk
Better you. Better business. Better planet.
We love Walking. It’s free, it fits around busy schedules, you don’t need special equipment, and you can do it almost anywhere.
Even a short walk can benefit our physical and mental health. It can help to prevent a range of health conditions including heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, obesity, some cancers and help to improve sleep.
A walk can also help to clear the head. Walking has been proven to have a positive effect on our mental health too, especially if we get out into green spaces to do it. Walking can increase feelings of self-esteem, improve mood, and reduce stress, anxiety and depression.
A walk with colleagues, friends or family is great for our social health and connecting with other people.
Working with the University of Edinburgh, a study of the Step Count Challenge showed 93% of participants had experienced benefits.
The top 3 benefits reported were:
- Better physical health
- Increased team morale
- Greater personal enjoyment
Participants’ weekly activity levels improved:
- 1 hour 49 minutes increase in walking for transport
- 55 minutes increase in walking for leisure
- 6 hours 8 minutes decrease in sitting
An active workforce has been shown to reduce sickness absence, increase staff morale, maintain and/or increase staff retention and productivity.
The world is in the middle of a climate emergency. Walking more might not seem like it’ll save the world, however if lots of people make one small change, this adds up to create a big difference
In 2017 37% of Scotland’s greenhouse gas emissions were from transport, 40% of those transport emissions were from cars alone.
Walking instead of using a car, for a journey of 2 miles, 5 days a week, will save 161 kg CO2e per year*, which is the same amount of CO2e offset by a 3 km² area of native woodland in a year.
*based on UK Government GHG Conversion Factors for company reporting, 2019
"Had a lot of fun, competing against other teams in our workplace"
"It was great for team building at work and getting to know your workmates while out for lunchtime walks"
"It helped me to de-stress after having a hectic day at work and home"