Arcadis Are In It To Win It In Birmingham

Arcadis has laid down the gauntlet to the city's corporate community after becoming title sponsor of the Business Challenge at this year's Simplyhealth Great Birmingham Run.

The global design, engineering and management consulting company, which recently moved its Birmingham city centre base to impressive new offices in Cornwall Street, has entered a running team that is very much ‘in it to win it'.

The Arcadis Business Challenge at the city's annual half marathon on Sunday, October 15 offers companies of all sizes and sectors the chance to compete for trophies and those all-important bragging rights in the corporate world.

Each running team needs to be a minimum of four people and a maximum of eight, but companies can enter as many teams as they wish.

Trophies are handed out to fastest teams in Small, Medium and Large Business categories, with the four fastest times posted by each team accumulated to pick the overall winners.

Any company entering 12 or more participants will automatically receive a plaque in the name of its fastest runner, inspiring friendly workplace competitiveness.

Simon Marks, Arcadis Partner, said: “Arcadis is proud to sponsor the Business Challenge because it plays to all our core values.

“Improving quality of life is at the heart of everything we do, and that includes encouraging our staff to be active, eat healthily and enjoy life.”

The Midlands' biggest half marathon takes place on the same day as the sold-out inaugural Birmingham International Marathon, meaning more people will be running in the Second City than ever before.

Simon added: “Events like this put Birmingham firmly on the map and could be a great prelude as we look to secure the Commonwealth Games for the city and the wider region in 2022.

"Birmingham is going places and that would really put the cherry on the cake. Whether Arcadis has a team in the Commonwealth Games, I'm not so sure!”

The Simplyhealth Great Birmingham Run starts on Jennens Road in the city centre before taking in sights such as Selfridges, Edgbaston Stadium, Cannon Hill Park and Bournville.

Companies already signed up for the Arcadis Business Challenge include accountancy practice PKF Cooper Parry, Tata Motors European Technical Centre and banking giants Deloitte and HSBC.

Simon has a simple message for businesses yet to enter a team: “You absolutely have to do it but watch out – Arcadis is going to win! We're training hard and all comers are welcome! Please join in the fun.”

Arcadis has entered runners into the Simplyhealth Great Birmingham Run for several years and employees are training for the half marathon via their very own running club on Thursday lunchtimes.

Arcadis' Team leader, Sarah Cleary, said: “We have a great mix of abilities, from complete novices to those running their first half marathon to more experienced runners.

“We train as a team, with the faster runners looping back and encouraging the slower ones. Birmingham is such a great city to run in. We usually train along the canal, where there is some great scenery.”

David Hart, Communications Director for the Simplyhealth Great Birmingham Run events, said: “We're thrilled that Arcadis, a company committed to encouraging its staff to live active, healthy lifestyles, has come on board as title sponsor of the Business Challenge and we're very much looking forward to working with them in the coming weeks.

“The Arcadis Business Challenge is a great way for colleagues to work as a team, get in shape, raise money for great causes – and of course bag some silverware!”

Arcadis will soon be adding up to 80 new staff to its 400-strong workforce in Birmingham after securing two new major contracts.

To enter the Arcadis Business Challenge at the Simplyhealth Great Birmingham Run, click here.