Last year, the Healthy Cities challenge saw more than 16,000 participants take over 4.4 billion steps across Asia Pacific, helping create greener, healthier and more climate-resilient communities through partnerships with Landcare Australia and Trees that Count in New Zealand.

Bupa Asia Pacific CEO Nick Stone said Healthy Cities continues to build in momentum because it combines two issues people care deeply about, their health and the future of their communities.

"We're seeing more people recognise the connection between healthy people and healthy places. The Healthy Cities challenge gives everyone the opportunity to take simple actions that improve their own wellbeing while helping create greener, more liveable communities for future generations."

"This year, we're aiming to make our biggest impact yet. We want to inspire thousands of people across Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong to get moving, get outdoors and help unlock significant new investment into local projects that make a lasting difference," Mr Stone said.

The Challenge, launched with the support of Australian marathon legend Robert de Castella AO, MBE comes at a time of growing climate change anxiety, with 44 per cent of Australians saying they are stressed about society’s’ impact on the environment, including 47 per cent of those under 40[2].

"The environments we live in shape our health every day. Greener neighbourhoods can encourage physical activity, strengthen social connection, support biodiversity and help communities become more resilient to a changing climate.

“Healthy Cities demonstrates how collective action can drive meaningful change. No single organisation can solve the challenges facing our communities alone, but when thousands of people take small steps together, the impact can be extraordinary,” Mr Stone said.

The Healthy Cities program form an essential part of Bupa’s commitment to grass-roots sustainability initiatives and launches alongside its sponsorship of Fed Square’s RESET Festival which provides free, family-friendly activities to help attendees reconnect with nature.

For more information about the Healthy Cities challenge visit here.

^{[1] Bupa Pulse Check 2026.pdf
[2] Bupa Pulse Check 2026.pdf}

Bupa Asia Pacific CEO, Nick Stone said momentum for the program continued to build, with more people wanting to get involved to help make our cities greener and healthier for people and the planet.

“We're hoping to have a record number of participants this year, with more than 15,000 people across Australia and New Zealand taking more than three billion steps during the month of October. By doing so, we will unlock more investment to revitalise more green spaces in more local communities,” Mr Stone said.

“The Healthy Cities Challenge means much more than simply logging steps, it’s a movement advocating for vibrant urban ecosystems and more active communities, all of which helps keep people healthier in both mind and body.”

The Challenge takes place amidst Bupa research suggesting 46 per cent of Aussies are stressed about the negative impact modern society is having on the environment, including 57 per cent of people aged 18- 29^[1].

“Climate change is an issue that the healthcare industry must face, with the sector estimated to generate 4.4% of global emissions”^[2].

“While the Healthy Cities Challenge is not a silver bullet, it's a testament to Bupa’s ongoing commitment to working collaboratively with community, regulatory and health sector partners, and our people and customers, to drive proactive change one step at a time and one tree at a time,” Mr Stone said.

The 2025 Healthy Cities program follows the launch of a new report developed in partnership between the Sustainable Markets Initiative, the Resilient Cities Network and Bupa detailing how climate-conscious action can save 247,000 lives each year and cut healthcare costs by $14 billion in the region.

It also comes off the back of Bupa’s recent sponsorship of Fed Square’s RESET Festival, which involved a month-long program of sustainability events and workshops, along with the announcement of the Bupa Foundation’s 2025 Community Grants recipients who shared in more than $600,000 in funding for local environmental and mental health programs.

Bupa Asia Pacific Chief Sustainability and Corporate Affairs Officer, Roger Sharp said the psychological effects of being active in green spaces are well known, but in modern life, many of us are time poor.

“The Healthy Cities Challenge is designed to help remind us that by taking a few minutes out of our busy lives each day to get active outside, we can develop consistent, healthy lifestyle habits that reconnect us with the natural world,” Mr Sharp said.

Further information on Bupa’s Healthy Cities Challenge can be found here.

^{[1] 2025 Bupa Pulse Check}

^{[2] Tackling health threats from climate change}