A former boxer has added his first nationwide business award to a roll of honour which includes a Commonwealth lightweight title and a world championship eliminator at the iconic Madison Square Garden.

Tommy Coyle said recognition in The Great British Workplace Wellbeing Awards is an early pinnacle in the business career which he launched in readiness for retiring from the ring in 2019. He also promised there will be more to come from the winning partnership between Coyle Health and Wellbeing, based in C4DI, and Siemens Gamesa.

He said: “These awards are all about the future. They were only launched last year in recognition of the need to improve workplace wellbeing standards, and we entered because we’ve been doing that as a team since 2018. It’s great to make an impact nationally.”

The awards took place at the J W Marriott Grosvenor House in London and attracted heavyweight contenders including the Bank of England, KFC, Royal Mail Group, Investec and Capital One.

The award for Best Physical Initiative went to the project which is being delivered by Coyle Health and Wellbeing and Siemens Gamesa to more than 700 workers at the firm’s wind turbine assembly factory in Hull.

Andy Sykes, Plant Director at Siemens Gamesa in Hull, said: “We’re thrilled for all involved to win the award. We looked at a number of national health and wellbeing providers and we chose Coyle Health and Wellbeing because we knew they would connect immediately with our team. We see the difference the partnership is making every day, and this award is a symbol of that.

“We put the programme forward for these awards – it’s unique and we can see the benefits it is bringing to our colleagues not just at work, but at home too, through providing the wellbeing education, support and tools our employees need to make small, healthy lifestyle changes.”

Siemens Gamesa and Coyle Health and Wellbeing extended their partnership in March 2021 with a new four-year deal which sees Tommy and his team delivering a package of activities designed to transform the lifestyles of the workforce.

Tommy spent 18 months researching the company and its employees before unveiling the Coyle Health and Wellbeing programme, which is built on the pillars of move well, eat well, think well and sleep well.

Elements that are unique to Siemens Gamesa include small, on-site fitness classes, full gym access to TC60 classes, health checks, factory and office walk-arounds, group activities and smoothie mornings.

The deal included a commitment to develop the service during the life of the contract, and in 2021 Coyle Health and Wellbeing delivered on that by launching an app developed by C4DI-based smart tech specialist Sauce to improve health, wellbeing and workplace performance.

Specific features developed for Siemens Gamesa include meditation and relaxation tools, signposting to think-well content and 24/7 mental health support, education on eating and moving well that is tailored to what is achievable within a working day and a 24/7 community chat forum with Tommy and his team to keep users connected.

The app can also collect anonymised data to help Coyle Health and Wellbeing and Siemens Gamesa develop the service and to make improvements to the wellbeing of the users.

Take-up of the app across the Siemens Gamesa site underlines its potential as a health and wellbeing tool with bespoke versions which can be installed in any workplace at a time when Coyle Health and Wellbeing is expanding its activities on a number of fronts.

Tommy is in discussions about offering other major employers their own health and wellbeing programmes. He is also counting down to the opening in the summer of the fourth Coyle Health and Wellbeing gym, a state-of-the-art facility at Bridgehead business park which is being built as an inclusive wellbeing destination featuring some of the best equipment, coaches and nutritionists.

Tommy said: “We’re showing with the programme at Siemens Gamesa, the app and now this award that we’re working at the highest level and delivering great results with the potential to do even more.

“We’ve found Siemens Gamesa to be a progressive employer, 100 per cent supportive of the wellbeing of their workforce, and we’re so pleased that they decided to go for this award because it shows the amount of confidence and pride that they have in our project and our partnership.

“Our success at Siemens Gamesa and our recognition at these awards proves that we have a model which works for the biggest businesses. We are in discussions now about working with new clients but any expansion will be gradual, ensuring that careful management and attention to detail are at the heart of everything we do.”

Jim Wardlaw, Chief of Product and Design at Sauce, said: “We’re delighted to have played a role in this success for Tommy Coyle and Siemens Gamesa, with the development of the Coyle Health and Wellbeing App.

“This national award is great recognition for the work Tommy and the team are doing to improve workplace health and wellbeing and we’re proud to be a part of it.”