Safeway Employees Compete in Healthy Lifestyle Contest

PLEASANTON, Calif. — Safeway employees are competing in a contest to see who leads the healthiest lifestyle.

More than 400 teams of 10 employees are competing to lose weight and/or increase activity, according to “Kate,” a full-time Safeway employee and mother of three who writes the Safeway blog. Safeway does not provide Kate’s last name.

“Each week we individually log our weight and activity minutes on a website to track our progress,” Kate writes in her blog, posted at Safeway.com.

A winner will be announced after the first 100 days of the contest, which kicked off last month. Prizes will be awarded to select winners.

“I have to admit, it’s been fun to see various teams walking at lunch, or heading back from the gym in the morning,” Kate writes.

The contest is part of Safeway’s efforts to provide incentives and discounts in health care contributions to employees who engage in healthy behaviors.

Among other efforts, Safeway’s corporate headquarters and division campuses across North America went smoke-free last year; the company opened a 17,000-square-foot fitness center; and employees get discounts if they buy healthier meals in company cafeterias.

Safeway President and Chief Executive Officer CEO Steve Burd helped found the Coalition to Advance Healthcare Reform, a group of more than 50 businesses formed last year.

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