My body is a temple
Virgin Active | Virgin HealthMiles | Virgin Life Care | Virgin Care
The challenges
It goes without saying that if you want to live a long, happy and healthy life you need to look after yourself. And that doesn't just mean taking regular exercise; it's about mental wellbeing and healthy eating as well. Current unhealthy lifestyles have been linked to the size of our carbon footprint as a healthy lifestyle often implies more exercise, less reliance on carbon intensive transport and a healthier diet with fruit and vegetables rather than meat and diary. Adverse changes in human health can impact our environment and health systems.
Our view
At Virgin our contribution to sustainable lifestyles will be to provide products and services that encourage a more balanced life with better personal health, fitness and wellbeing. Virgin's contribution to a healthier, more sustainable lifestyle is clear but health clubs are energy and water intensive operations and so efficiency is a priority.
Our companies' approach
- Virgin Active is reducing its energy use and water footprint through a range of measures such as using heat recovery systems, solar panels, timers on taps and reusing swimming pool water to flush toilets.
- Virgin Active educates its members through its websites with daily tips on fitness, a variety of wellness programmes, nutritious eating guidelines and online health checks.
- Virgin's businesses are empowering individuals to take greater control of their health and fitness. Virgin HealthMiles and Virgin Life Care track and offer incentives to its members to reach personalised health goals.
Quick facts
- In South Africa the clubs have already cut energy consumption by 10% since January 2008
- Virgin HealthMiles' members have collectively taken more than 200 billion steps on the programme since it started in 2006
- Virgin Active South Africa is helping customers understand their environmental impacts through an online carbon calculator
- Virgin Active UK and South Africa have donated equipment to community gyms.
To find out more information on what we are doing click here
Relevant articles:
Virgin Active UK: Solar energy feels the heat
Virgin Active SA: Meet Peter, Virgin Active SA Head of Health, Safety and Engineering
Virgin Active IT: Energy Saving Week 2011: Microgeneration
Virgin HealthMiles: Social connections create healthier work places
Virgin Active: Meet Mark, the energy manager at Virgin Active
Virgin HealthMiles: Virgin HealthMiles pledges $6 million plus donation...
Virgin Active: The Virgin Active Carbon Calculator
Virgin Active: Richard helps Virgin celebrate success of Alexandra Township project
