Sport at Safran, close to our hearts…
Safran is encouraging employees to stay fit through sport and at the same time to support nonprofits promoting public health through physical activity. We talked to Dr Agnès Martineau-Arbes, corporate health coordinator.
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Sport and health go hand-in-hand....
Sport is recognized for its wide-ranging health benefits, including better mental health, improved quality of life, and the prevention of chronic disease.
For this reason, as part of its Health, Safety & Environment (HSE) management system Safran has put in place One Health!, a roadmap for health. “The roadmap focuses on three key aspects: occupational health, mental health and overall health,” explains Dr. Agnès Martineau-Arbes, corporate health coordinator. One Health! Sets out the steps to be taken at each site to support employees and help them stay fit.
Encouraging employees to take up a sport is part of the third focus area. “Health prevention encompasses all kinds of awareness initiatives highlighting health issues that can be avoided or mitigated by a healthy lifestyle: cardiovascular diseases, metabolic disorders such as diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, some types of cancer, sleep disorders, depression, and so on. Regular physical activity plays a key role in preventing these health issues,” emphasizes Dr. Martineau-Arbes. “To encourage this, all Safran facilities worldwide are required to organize a health prevention initiative for employees at least once a year.” Many sites also have a gym.
“One Health! sets out the steps to be taken at each site to support employees and help them stay fit.”
For the less sporty among us, no need to panic! Physical activity doesn’t necessarily mean high-intensity workouts. Simply walking, taking the stairs, gardening, cycling or DIY can all deliver significant health benefits and are easy to do on a daily basis. “What matters is regular exercise,” says Dr. Martineau-Arbes. “Maintaining a regular low-intensity activity is better than sporadic all-out bursts. You need to find the activity that suits you best, depending on your physiology... and personal preferences! Physical activity has to be a choice, rather than an obligation: the more you enjoy it, the less it will feel like hard work. And you’ll be more likely to stay with it in the long run.”
... and are good for the community!
At the same time, many of our colleagues around the world are engaged in community initiatives, using their love of sport as a way to give back to others. In March 2023, for example, staff from Safran Landing Systems in Walton (USA) took part in the Heart Mini-Marathon & Walk to support cardiology research. They raised USD 2,778 for the American Heart Association.
Similarly, to mark National Heart Month in February, employees at the Gloucester site (UK) took part in a charity bike race. Safran donated £1 to the Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice for every mile covered by the big-hearted cyclists: a stretch equal to the distance between Gloucester and Vélizy!
Still at Safran Landing Systems but in Alsace this time, employees from the Molsheim site take part every year in the Molshémienne road race to raise funds for breast cancer research. In 2022, 164 people ran the race, more than one-eighth of the site’s entire workforce. Also in 2022, Safran Seats in Cwmbran (Wales) sponsored a bike ride of almost 65 km (40 mi), raising over £1,000 for Bigmoose, a local mental health charity. As you can see, there are countless initiatives underway across Safran! So why not get involved?
“Physical activity has to be a choice, rather than an obligation: the more you enjoy it, it will feel like hard work.”
