SANTO DOMINGO– Banco Popular Dominicano announced the opening of the Popular Sports Center, a modern outdoor facility designed to strengthen the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of its employees. This initiative, a pioneering effort in the Dominican financial sector, is part of the organization's comprehensive wellness strategy, which promotes a healthy lifestyle among its more than 8,600 employees.
The center features two hybrid courts for basketball and volleyball, two padel courts, and a 200-meter walking path. In addition, there are covered bleachers, changing rooms, showers, air-conditioned restrooms, lockers, an administrative office, and storage areas, all designed for functionality, safety, and comfort.
Its proximity to the five buildings that make up the corporate complex allows employees to take care of their health within their workplace environment.
Investment in well-being
During the opening ceremony, the CEO of Banco Popular, Christopher Paniagua, reaffirmed this human and sustainable vision by stating: “This sports center is born from our conviction that investing in the well-being of our employees is investing in a better society.”.
For her part, Antonia Antón de Hernández, senior executive vice president of Human Resources, Cultural Transformation, Credit Administration and Compliance, highlighted that the new sports center represents a firm step towards a healthier and more active organizational culture: “This project reflects the growth and maturity of the institution's wellness strategy, which has been built to support employees at all stages of their working life.”.
To make the project a reality, in line with the organization's sustainable vision, recycled materials were used and sustainability criteria were implemented in the construction and conditioning phases of the space.
“What was once a plot of land of about 2,800 square meters with no clear purpose has been transformed into a modern, functional space dedicated to the well-being of the institution,” stated engineer José Hernández, Vice President of the Engineering and Maintenance Area.
Commitment to its employees
Banco Popular's comprehensive well-being strategy is part of its commitment to the multidimensional development of its employees and focuses on five fundamental pillars: physical, emotional, social, financial, and professional well-being.
Among the many initiatives implemented to achieve this vision, the Popular Wellness Center was created in 2019, a space that offers functional training services, mindfulness sessions, physiotherapy and nutritional guidance, as well as relaxation areas.
This focus on caring for its staff has strengthened the institution's position as the best company to work for in the country, according to Mercado magazine, and is a factor that contributes to the fulfillment of Sustainable Development Goal number 3.
Photo: External source.
