Important Dates FAQs
Q:When does the GCC start and end?
A:Kicks off Thursday May 20, 2010 and concludes on September
7, 2010.
Q:How long is this?
Q:When do registrations close?
A:Registrations close on May 12, 2010. This is so your
Team Captains receive your team's starter packs (your load of free goodies) in time
to begin the event. GCC has sold out in previous years and many companies have unfortunately
missed out, so we recommend getting your teams in as early as you can. If we still
have availability we will accept registrations after this date and even after the
GCC begins, but we can't guarantee you a spot and you might be left waving goodbye
at the airport. Please also note that if you register after May 12 we cannot guarantee
starter pack delivery will occur by May 20.
Q:When do I receive my GCC Starter Pack?
A:If your organisation had confirmed your teams prior to
May 12, your GCC Starter Pack will be delivered to your Team Captain prior to May
20. If your organisation's team(s) were registered and confirmed after May 12, the
GCC will do everything short of buying its own fleet of courier motorcycles and
trained delivery owls to have the packs delivered prior to May 20, however it cannot
be guaranteed.
Registration FAQs
Q:How much does it cost to register?
A:For the GCC registration cost for each region, please
refer to the Registration & Fees section. Please note that invoices are raised and
payments are received by team total(s) only and not for or by individual participants.
Q:Can people in different offices, states and countries
take part in the GCC?
A:Absolutely – anyone in the world can take part in the
GCC. They just need internet access. In fact, that's one of the great GCC benefits
– you don't need to even work in the same hemisphere as teammates and Roy from your
Arctic Circle Accounts Outpost doesn't need to miss out either. But please keep
in mind that invoices cannot be split and they will be issued in the currency of
the country that the Team Captain is located in, even if the team consists of participants
from around the world.
Q:If I am the Team Manager for my organisation, what happens
if I have an uneven number of people to register?
A:The GCC can only accept teams of seven. If someone pulls
out it is required that the person be replaced via the Team Manager Site so the
team is not disadvantaged. The replacement will 'inherit' the previous participant's
entered steps prior to the change (but thankfully not their shoes).
Q:Can we make changes to the team members once I register
them?
Q:When is payment due?
A:To confirm your teams that have been registered, you
need to confirm them online via your access to the Team Manager Site. Teams can
be confirmed through online credit card payment, or by generating an invoice that
will be due within 14 days of the invoice date. All payment instructions can be
found on the invoice. Your teams' places in the GCC are not locked away until you
confirm your teams online via the above options.
Q:What else can our organisation do to make this event
even better?
A:There is no doubt that, "the more you put in, the more
you get out". Over the last five years, organisations have done a whole range of
GCC enhancing activities. Here are some great examples:
- Holding a launch, mid event or finish BBQ
- Weekly updates on the results and progress in organisation newsletters or on your
intranet
- Putting forward incentives to get people walking more
- Walking events at lunch time or even the weekend
- Celebrations themed to locations
More ideas will be available on the Team Manager site throughout the challenge and
all Team Managers will have access to the 2010 Playbook – a million and one (or
thereabouts, we haven't actually counted) ideas for enhancing your experience of
the event.
Common Participant FAQs
Q:When do I wear my pedometer, do I just wear it at work?
A:All the time (except in bed and when you shower or swim...or
have a bath...spa...actually any water submersion). Every step counts including
aerobics, running, dog walking, cross trainers & treadmills in the gym and the list
goes on. From when you get up, to when you go to sleep, the pedometer is with you.
Q:I do other physical activity apart from walking e.g.
Swimming, Horse riding …can I be allocated steps for these activities?
A:We understand that people undertake a wide variety of
physical activities that range from horse-riding to surfing. All are fantastic for
staying active, keeping the heart healthy and indeed many fulfil the government's
physical activity recommendations of 30-minutes of moderate intensity activity on
most if not all days of the week. The GCC encourage all types of activity as part
of an active and healthy lifestyle however it doesn't allocate steps to people for
participating in these activities. If a person decides to keep the pedometer on
during other activity, and it is safe to do so, then the reading on the pedometer
will stand. For example many participants have worn their pedometer during basketball,
soccer, martial arts, aerobics, and yoga classes, and recorded steps.
The management at GCC do not allow people to self allocate steps after say a 1-hour
Greco-roman wrestling bout, or getting gnarly and ripping it up on the surfboard
for 2 hours. The reasons for this are many but fundamentally, the GCC is a walking
event, just like the New York marathon is a running event. You would not be allowed
to cycle during the marathon. Secondly one of the main constructs of the GCC is
to get busy, working people to become more 'incidentally active'. Essentially this
means we want busy working people to be more active during their working day as
this is where research has shown people may sit for 6-8 hours and potentiate chronic
disease. All exercise is great but don't look at it as 'missing steps you deserve'
but as an overall increase in your activity levels.
Q:Can I buy an extra pedometer if I lose or break both
of mine?
A:If you need to purchase another GCC pedometer because
you have lost or broken both of yours that you were provided with at the beginning
of the challenge, please email pedometer@gettheworldmoving.com
with the quantity of pedometers required and someone from the GCC will be in touch
with you to confirm your order. Payment of your pedometer order can only be made
by credit card prior to your order being mailed out to you.
For further Pedometer FAQ's please refer to the Pedometer section on this website.
Q:Will I ever need to replace the battery in my GCC Pedometer?
What do I do with the old battery that I remove?
A:Your GCC pedometer is fitted with an Alkaline Coin LR1130
battery inside. This battery is built to last the full duration of the event however
at some point in the future; this battery will come to the end of its usable life.
If this happens, a replacement LR1130 battery can be purchased very easily and can
be fitted by unscrewing the two small screws on the reverse of your pedometer. It
is however important that your old battery is disposed in an environmentally correct
manner. Although this differs by country and region, many local authorities participate
in a battery collection scheme so the GCC advices that you contact your local authority
to seek their advice on the local provisions for the safe disposal of old batteries.
Step Entry & Website FAQs
Q:I know the GCC begins on May 20, 2010 but when do I enter
my first step count?
A:The Step Entry function works in a way where you are
always entering steps for the previous day. You will notice on May 20 that the Step
Entry function will be disabled. It will only be enabled when the clock ticks (or
hums) over to May 21 in your registered time zone. It is then recommended that on
the morning of May 21 when you get to work you enter your first step count for the
first 24 hour period of the GCC (which is May 20). Then on the morning of May 22
you will be entering your step count for May 21, and so on.
Q:What happens if I ride a bike regularly rather than walking?
A:There is an option to enter the daily Kms/Miles you have
ridden on your bike (not motorbike, that's not really classed as exercise...unless
it runs out of petrol). This distance is converted to a step amount (using the following
calculation; 1km/.6miles walking=1563 steps = 4km/2.5miles cycling) and then Kms/Miles
walked on the map.
Q:What happens if I regularly take part in a spin class?
A:A further extension has been made to cyclists participating
in the GCC with 'Spin/cycle classes'. Given an estimation of a one hour spin class
equates to 20 miles or 32km, then working backwards from our cycling equation gives
us 32/6 = 5.3km which is the same as 5.33 X 1563 steps equalling 8330 steps. Therefore
a spin class is allocated 8,330 steps and if a person does a spin class then entering
32km into the cycle function will achieve this. So if you have taken part in a 1
hour spin class you can add 8,330 steps to your daily step count.
Q:Do I have to enter my steps in every day?
A:GCC recommends that you enter your steps every day to
allow a steady journey throughout the GCC course, and to allow for your team statistics
to be a true and up to date reflection of your performance. However, we understand
that it isn't always possible to enter your step counts every day (i.e. if it is
a weekend, if you are on leave, if you are on a business trip etc). So, simply keep
a manual record of your daily step counts and the next time you log in to the GCC
website you will be able to view all the days that you have missed step entries
for. You can then submit these missing steps in one go via the Step Entry section
on the website. It can be frustrating for teammates if you 'save up' these entries
for too long so be mindful of their experience of the course as well.
Q:Can anyone else see my step entries?
A:No-one else in your team, in your organisation or in
the GCC overall will be able to see your personal step entries. The only information
that your other team members will be able to view is how many missed step entries
you have. These missed step entries are visible via your Team Profile page on the
GCC website.
Q:Why can't I view other participants step entries and
why can't they view mine?
A:The Global Corporate Challenge® (GCC) is a team based
physical activity challenge that encourages people of all ages and walks of life
to be more active. There are a number of reasons that individual step entries are
not made available to a wider audience:
- The GCC is a health and wellbeing program and not a race – even if companies often
create a healthy competitiveness. We are all about trying to develop a healthy habit
in people.
- The GCC is put in place to combat sedentary health behaviours prevalent in the white-collar
workplace – i.e. the triple threat – longer workdays, jobs that are more sedentary,
and less exercise. All of which contribute to cardio vascular diseases, Type II
diabetes and hypertension – all preventable.
- We have people who vary greatly in the challenge. For those who are quite inactive
they will increase their steps at their own pace – not necessarily their teams'.
Consistent improvement relative to a participants starting level is the key indicator
of effort.
- The challenge will become detrimental to these people until they feel confident
in themselves to increase their activity.
- We have found that pressure can work in reverse for the very people who need the
program the most.
- Even by having a function where participants can elect to show their results will
be detrimental. Imagine being the one person in a team who doesn't want their results
to be seen, how would they feel?
Q:I have misplaced my log in details to the GCC site, how
do I log in?
A:The website will be launched in early May. Once it is
launched, click on Forgot Password on the log in page. You will then be prompted
to fill out your registered email address, which will then enable for an email to
be sent to you with your username and password.
Q:Can I only enter my steps via the GCC website, or is
there another way?
A:Another way that your steps can be entered is via SMS.
When logged into the GCC website, details on the SMS function and how to set it
up can be found on the Step Entry page. Once you have set up the SMS function, it
would be recommended to test it has registered correctly with your next step entry.
If you log into the GCC website after your SMS has been sent, if registered correctly,
your step count will now appear on the Step Entry page for the selected day.
Q:I sent an SMS with my step count; however it hasn't appeared
on the GCC website? What can I do?
A:If your SMS step count hasn't appeared on the GCC site
it is very likely because you have missed a step in the set-up process or entered
something incorrectly. Please review the SMS function instructions again, make the
necessary changes and send the SMS again. If the problem still cannot be resolved
please email smsenquiry@gettheworldmoving.com.
Q:What if I can't enter my steps because I cannot access
a computer or SMS at some stage throughout the GCC?
A:It is recommended that you keep a manual record of your
daily step counts throughout this time. It doesn't matter if you write them down,
carve them into a stick or get a daily tattoo (although this may look a bit funny
and would probably hurt), just keep a record somewhere. When you next have access
to the GCC website go to the Step Entry section where you will be provided with
a list of the days that you have missed step entries for. You can then type in all
your daily step entries and submit them all in the one go. You will not be penalised
in any way.
Q:Can we choose our own team names?
A:Once the GCC website is launched in May, teams will be
able to change names, upload their photos and add content whenever they like.
Q:I have heard about The Footprint Initiative®, when
and how will we be able to donate?
A:The Footprint Initiative® is an important program of
the GCC that educates and supports participants to make a 'global difference' through
their GCC participation. On the GCC website and throughout the GCC course you will
be provided with an opportunity to donate to The Footprint Initiative® project.
As a participant you will also receive regular updates through our weekly E-Newsletters.
For further information on its background and the achievements made in 2008 & 2009
please visit http://www.gettheworldmoving.com/howthegccworks/footprintinitiative.aspx.
Q:Are there prizes?
A:The GCC is all about the journey not the destination;
this means that while you may choose to run the event internally as a competition,
we do not treat it as such. Thanks to our sponsors, we give away random weekly prizes
to reward participation and for keeping step entries up to date but the main rewards
of the GCC are health and wellbeing (probably the most valuable prize of all).
Q:What happens if a team completes the course before Tuesday
September 7, 2010?
A:OK, 'well done' for starters. Secondly, in the event
that a team completes the course before the finishing date of Tuesday September
7, 2010, they will be awarded the GCC Most Active Team. However, this does not mean
that the GCC finishes. All teams are to continue as normal, until the finishing
date of Tuesday September 7, 2010. If no team completes the entire course by the
finish date, then the team who has covered the greatest distance will be awarded
the GCC Most Active Team.
Q:Is there a prize for being the first team to cross the
finish line?
A:More acknowledgement than a prize. The first team (of
seven people) to complete the 2010 course within the designated time period (Thursday
May 20, 2010 – Tuesday September 7, 2010) will be awarded the GCC Most Active Team.
A GCC Trophy will be presented to this Most Active Team. There will also be an award
given to the Most Active Organisations in a variety of different categories. There
will also be various 'random' prizes each week throughout the event from our main
event sponsors. Anyone, in any team, at any position, with any step count can win
these prizes, as long as you are up to date with your step counts!
Team Changes/Participant Replacement FAQs
Q:If I can no longer participate in the GCC, what do I
need to do?
A:If you aren't able to take part for the remainder of
the GCC e.g. due to illness, injury or work related changes, all you or your team
need to do is find a replacement participant to take your position. The Team Captain
has the ability to make the team change via the GCC website and provide the new
participant with log in details. This participant will then continue on from your
final step entry.
Q:I am going on holidays/leave for an extended period of
time, do I need to hand my pedometer over to someone else to take my position or
can I still participate even though I am not at work?
A:If you are going on holidays/leave and you will still
be able to wear your pedometer and enter your steps you are allowed to continue
to participate. If however you aren't able to wear your pedometer for the remainder
of the GCC (because you are going on holidays to Atlantis or the International Space
Station) it would be recommended that a replacement is found to take over your position
in your team. Once you have found a replacement simply advise your Team Captain
who will be able to make the change.
Q:I am ceasing employment with my current workplace shortly,
do I need to find a replacement to take over my position in the GCC, or can I continue
to participate?
A:It would be best to firstly consult your Team Manager.
If your workplace is happy for you to continue to participate once you leave your
current organisation, it is perfectly OK for you to continue to participate for
the remainder of the GCC. It would be recommended that you update your email address
however on the GCC website to ensure you continue to receive communications from
the GCC.
If however your workplace would prefer for participants to be just from the organisation,
you may be asked to find a replacement. Once you have done so, hand over your pedometer(s)
(Olympic Torch style if you like) and request your Team Captain to make the replacement.
Q:Someone in my GCC team can no longer participate and
we can't find anyone to take their position? Does my team have to have 7 people
in it or can we continue with less than 7?
A:Every team in the GCC needs to have 7 participants to
participate. If not, all the statistics will still work off a team of 7, so your
team's statistics will suffer because of this. If you are unable to find a replacement
within your workplace, GCC allows the position to be replaced with a family member,
friend, colleague at another organisation etc. If you are unsure as to whether your
organisation allows this, please check with your Team Manager or Team Captain.
Q:What happens if I am caught cheating?
A:Well, that's not a good thing. The GCC is about improving
your health and it is an event based on personal integrity. We don't give away a
new car to 'winners' so you're only cheating (and fooling) yourself.
Cheating is defined as:
- Shaking the pedometer manually to accumulate steps.
- Putting the pedometer on someone else to benefit your step count.
- Having a team of seven athletes or seven people who under the ethos of the GCC would
be considered Athletes.
- Strapping the pedometer to a moving object other than yourself (cars, dogs, space
shuttles etc.)
- Entering inflated or untrue step data.
- Resetting someone else's pedometer.
- Making a team member redundant and drafting what we would consider an Athlete.
- Jeopardising someone's pedometer which includes hiding it, or destroying it, swallowing
it.
Cheating will be looked at as a serious breach of the spirit of the event. Individuals
found to be cheating will be penalised through their step entries, and the Organisation
Team Manager will be made aware of the issue. If two or more members of the same
team are found to be guilty of cheating then the team is withdrawn from the GCC
and a letter will be sent to the organisation's CEO and Team Manager explaining
why. Cheating will be looked at as a serious breach of the spirit of the event.
Individuals found to be cheating will be penalised through their step entries, and
the Organisation Team Manager will be made aware of the issue. If two or more members
of the same team are found to be guilty of cheating then the team is withdrawn from
the GCC and a letter will be sent to the organisation's CEO and Team Manager explaining
why.
Contacting the GCC FAQs
Q:Global Corporate Challenge® Contacts
A:The GCC website is designed to answer any questions participants
may have. If you need to contact GCC please go to the 'Contact Us' section. We reply
within the working day throughout the week. However if you are outside a time zone
of a GCC Regional Head Office this may seem to take longer. Contact details will
be available on the GCC site throughout the challenge.
