Goodman as national partner of the fit4future foundation

Goodman Germany commits through the Goodman Foundation to the fit4future foundation. Its aim is to make pupils aware of their health skills through play and to teach them about healthy lifestyles. To do this, the foundation cooperates with relevant experts and prominent athletes. As part of a three-year commitment, Goodman is sponsoring 500 children at primary schools across Germany. The current challenge began in November 2022 and will end on the 2nd of February 2023 with a kick-off event scheduled for the 20th of January that will bring representatives of Goodman and the fit4future foundation together. The event will be held at GGS Europaring in the Neubrück district of Cologne, one of the schools supported by Goodman. It will feature the well-known Cologne sports scientist, Prof. Ingo Froböse (German Sport University Cologne), who developed step in collaboration with planero GmbH (project implementer of the fit4future foundation) and the think tank, fischimwasser GmbH.

In our modern world, children do not get enough exercise. This is confirmed by the results of the International Physical Activity Report 2022 carried out by the Technical University of Munich, which assesses the sporting activities of children internationally. Germany only received a grade of 4. In the study, 40 per cent of the children reported that their physical fitness had deteriorated during the Covid 19 pandemic.

fit4future motivates children to exercise more
The fit4future foundation is addressing the problem and promoting physical activity among children in 3rd and 4th grade with its interactive step competition step.
The children receive fitness bracelets that measure their physical activity level by counting the number of steps taken. The step app then collects these steps and compiles them on to a virtual class account. The aim of the project is to encourage children to be as active as possible in their daily lives over a period of 13 weeks, with regular exercise challenges being added to contribute more activity. On top of this, the children involved are taught about healthy and balanced nutrition. 
As an additional incentive, the fitness bracelets remain in the children's possession after the end of the project, enabling them to continue counting their steps and, thus, promoting activity in their everyday life. No separate registration or data entry is necessary for this.
Since November 2022, almost 12,000 students from all over Germany have been collecting steps for their class, and will continue doing so until 2 February 2023. All classes have the chance to become step-champion 2022, with the respective federal state winners awarded prizes when the challenge is finished.

Goodman supports step over three years
Goodman will be supporting step with a comprehensive commitment spanning three years. Christof Prange, Managing Director of Goodman Germany, comments: "The lack of exercise leads to enormous impairments in children's health and consequences both for the individual and society as a whole. The long-term support of step – the step-challenge of the fit4future foundation is therefore a matter close to our hearts – and the assumption of 500 sponsorships a welcome opportunity for our social commitment."
Goodman Germany is also supporting the region in other ways: In December, for the fourth year in a row, Goodman employees fulfilled Christmas wishes of children who are taken care of in the Christian children's and youth organisation Arche in Düsseldorf. The gifts for the children are donated, personally wrapped and handed over by Goodman employees.

"So far, more than 8.5 billion steps have been collected and a total distance of around 4.4 million kilometres covered during the project phases of the competition from March 2018 to June 2022. That corresponds to about 110 circumnavigations of the globe," says Malte Heinemann CEO at fit4future foundation. "We are delighted to have secured another partner, Goodman, to help us continue this success story."