Visual courtesy of Celebrating sporting excellence and the power of sport to transform the lives | Laureus
The J.P. Morgan Corporate Challenge is an eagerly anticipated event on the local road running calendar. The 2023 Johannesburg event takes place on Thursday 30 March. Dynamic Technologies group company CloudSmiths has entered a team, so the challenge is on! It’s a short course and fun is of the essence – no previous Comrades experience required.
The J.P. Morgan Corporate Challenge is based on the principles of fitness, friendly competition, and fun. The 5.6km route is perfect for Company Teams of all speeds and abilities, and the cause is a good one. As a Salesforce partner, CloudSmiths is firmly aligned with the Salesforce Ohana values. Participating CloudSmiths team members know that they are responsible for each other and their communities. They are actively involved in nurturing those around them, from colleagues and friends to the community at large. Joining together to raise funds and awareness for a charity like Laureus Sport for Good supports those values. Ohana means to work collaboratively – in this instance, getting all your teammates across the finish line! – having fun together, and striving to leave the world a better place.
Salesforce embodies a 1-1-1 model that dedicates 1% of the company's equity, 1% of its product, and 1% of employees' time back to the community. In setting up that model, Salesforce also co-founded Pledge 1%, a movement to create a new normal whereby social impact is integrated into the core DNA of every company. CloudSmiths is a proud member of Pledge 1% and are committed to dedicating time and resources to build a better world, give back to the community, and change lives.
Although the event itself is an enjoyable way to spend some time outdoors, getting active with friends and colleagues, the purpose behind the challenge is a pretty big deal. The 2023 beneficiary of the J.P. Morgan Corporate Challenge Johannesburg is the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation.
Laureus Sport for Good is a charitable organisation that supports various sport for development programmes around the world, including 230 individual programmes in South Africa. Laureus-supported programmes use the power of sport to bring about social change. The first patron of Laureus was Nelson Mandela. He believed in the power of sport to change the world, and his vision became the philosophy of Laureus and the driving force behind its work.
We wish all the participants a safe and happy race and look forward to cheering on any other Dynamic Technologies companies taking part. Those CloudSmiths employees who choose to participate will enjoy the camaraderie of the event, achieve a personal goal, and make the world a better place, one step at a time. What’s not to love about that? And once the teams have completed the run (or walk – no judgement here), it’s time to celebrate!
“Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand. Sport can create hope where once there was only despair.” – Nelson Mandela, inaugural Laureus World Sports Awards, Monaco, 2000