Between May 20 and June 6, a group of CIOs (chief information officers) and IT managers laced up their running shoes and hopped on their bicycles for the CIO Charity Run & Bike, seeking to promote equality in education for today’s youth. After raising an impressive €60,000 last year, the group set themselves an even loftier goal of €100,000 for the initiative’s tenth anniversary—a goal they achieved with flying colors.
Under the direction of CIO Magazine/Foundry, theCIO Stiftung, and WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management, this annual athletic fundraiser has its roots in the former CIO Run, the name given to a small group of alumni, friends, and family of both the CIO Leadership Excellence Program and WHUwho participated in the larger Düsseldorf corporate challenge (“Düsseldorf Firmenlauf”). With each kilometer completed earning the group €1 on bike and €5 by foot or from a wheelchair, this year’s 1,101 participants proved their commitment to the cause.
Collectively, the group covered 47,752km (29,671mi) and, with the help of direct donations, generated a final total of €100,704. Donations, which can be made directly here through to the end of June, will go toward initiatives that help youths at a disadvantage. This includes Jugend hackt, a non-profit program focused on teaching technology skills to young people under the age of 18; and Stiftung Kinderglück, a Dortmund-based initiative that promotes equality and inclusion and ensures that children receive what they need to succeed in school.
Among the participants this year was Professor Markus Rudolf, Dean of WHU, who expressed his admiration for the event: “I’m thrilled about how the original CIO Run has developed and how many WHU/CIO alumni—together with their friends and families—are actively committed to equal education opportunities and the digital integration of the younger generations. To me, this is a sign of much the CIO Stiftung and the CIO Leadership Excellence Program, run with Foundry and Software AG, support a community—one that impacts society.”
What began as a small group, co-initiated by WHU Foundation Director Dr. Peter Kreutterten years ago, has since become a veritable vehicle for change. Those interested in learning more about the initiative and how to sign up for future events can read more on the official CIO website (in German).