Stark, the main partner of Finland’s Olympic team, organized an Olympic-themed wellness challenge from February 2 to March 1, 2026, which inspired employees to get active, try new leisure activities, and, above all, cheer each other on. The challenge took place right during the Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina.

The challenge, held in the Olympic spirit, fostered a sense of community, and the range of sports on offer was impressive, as participants tried their hand at a total of 220 different sports and recreational activities. The competition’s most active team, STARK Lohja, celebrated their victory and decided to donate Stark’s prize scholarship of 1,000 euros to support sports activities for local children and youth with limited resources through Hope Lojo.

The campaign helped foster a stronger sense of community and increased daily activity

The challenge placed particular emphasis on everyday movement and easily accessible physical activity. In addition to workouts, participants also recorded a variety of leisure activities, forms of everyday movement, and small actions that promote well-being.

– Of course, some people exercised more than others, and that was perfectly fine, since even the smallest contribution went into the team’s shared pot. Ultimately, the campaign was all about fostering a sense of community and creating an Olympic atmosphere. I think the timing also contributed to the enthusiasm and the positive atmosphere, comments Stark’s HR Business Partner Maria-Susanna Wirkkala.

The purpose of the competition was not only to increase physical activity, but also to demonstrate that well-being is built on many small, everyday actions. The campaign therefore encompassed a wide range of activities, from traditional endurance sports to various recreational activities and new experiences.

– Even the insights you gain during the wellness challenge in the HeiaHeia app can lead to small, positive changes that become part of your daily life even after the challenge is over, Wirkkala says cheerfully.

Encouraging messages are an important resource in this challenge

The Olympics inspired Finns to cheer on their compatriots, and according to Maria-Susanna Wirkkala, this was also evident among the staff participating in Stark’s nationwide fitness challenge.  

– The atmosphere was truly fantastic. We saw nice comments and photos from our colleagues’ daily lives, as well as exciting new species. Everyone encouraged one another, and I think that reflects the overall atmosphere among us at Stark. Our employee surveys show that we appreciate and encourage our colleagues even in our day-to-day work.

According to Wirkkala, encouraging messages were the campaign’s main driving force:  

– The nearly 25,000 encouraging messages sent helped create a positive atmosphere and motivated participants to stay active throughout the campaign. Olympic national team athletes Suvi Minkkinen and Severi Vierelä added an extra touch with their tips on encouragement and well-being, while we eagerly awaited their performances at the Olympics.

A strong Lohja team took home the victory in the team competition – even the small contributions were recognized

In the Wellness Challenge, teams made up of employees from Stark’s various departments competed against one another, but small efforts and individual records were also taken into account.

– Right from the start, it was clear that, even though it was a lighthearted competition, everyone would be fighting hard for the win, and the lead changed hands from week to week. Although many individual participants racked up fantastic scores, it was the team average that served as the metric for the competition. In the end, it was Stark Lohjas’ team that accumulated the most activity and workout points, thereby winning the challenge. We also wanted to highlight a few individuals who were active in micro-challenges and setting personal records.

Stark Lohjas’ team wanted to support recreational activities for children from low-income families

The winning team in the competition was able to donate 1,000 euros to an organization of their choice that supports recreational activities for children or young people. The donation reflects the central idea of the challenge: well-being is not just about being active yourself, but also about community and spreading the good.

The winning team, Stark Lohja, decided to donate their prize money to Hope ry which supports recreational activities for local children and young people with limited resources. Here’s how Netta Alakesti and Veera Ritvanen from the winning team describe the competition:

– For us, exercise is a daily lifeline in our hectic everyday lives. Our own leisure activities and the desire to challenge ourselves motivated us to enter the competition. We were inspired to track our daily routines and our varied exercise efforts—primarily familiar leisure activities like cycling, walking, horseback riding, and dog walking, as well as martial arts and winter sports, plus the steps we accumulate during the workday and when we’re busy with the kids. That made it pretty easy to participate. The great winter conditions during the ski break boosted our activity even more. Admittedly, logging our steps was sometimes challenging—perhaps the hardest part. In the end, we were surprised by how many steps we managed to accumulate, but the victory and the chance to donate money felt great.

– The best part of the competition was the good cause and the positive, community-oriented, and friendly atmosphere, as well as the opportunity to support local children’s recreational activities. We felt it was important to donate the prize money to support recreational activities for children from low-income families.

Hope Lohja’s secretary and volunteer, Nina Telén, accepted a donation from the Stark Lohja’s team on March 25.

– The donation will go toward supporting children’s extracurricular activities in the Lohja area. We are delighted and grateful that this donation will enable less privileged local children to continue participating in their extracurricular activities. Extracurricular activities support children’s growth and development, boost their self-esteem, and also promote physical well-being.

The Well-Being Challenge left a lasting impact on everyday life

The Olympic Committee’s Wellness Challenge demonstrated that a joint campaign can significantly increase physical activity, strengthen workplace community, and encourage people to try new ways of taking care of their own well-being. For many participants, the challenge brought home the realization that even small moments of physical activity in everyday life are valuable—and that encouragement can go a long way when shared together.