STEF and SARAH, partners in heart

STEF has decided to support windsurf champion Sarah Hebert with whom the Group shares values of perseverance, performance and enthusiasm. Sarah, who is 27, has lived with an implanted defibrillator since she was 22.

STEF supports her human, sporting and technological challenge: the first crossing of the Atlantic by a female on a standard windsurf board.

Sarah is also the godmother of the “One site, one defibrillator” internal operation launched by STEF to have its 225 sites in Europe equipped with a cardiac defibrillator in 2012.

STEF – The Europe’s cold logistics specialist – has always put human values and the human resource at the heart of its success. In this spirit, it implements a group strategy for safety and health at the workplace.

The Group has a team dedicated to “diversity and quality of life at work”. It includes six full-time employees, including one senior Human Resources Manager and five professionals (ergonomists, occupational psychologist…). At part of the team’s program, the Group has decided to accelerate the deployment of cardiac defibrillators in its 225 sites in Europe.

Today, more than two thirds of them are equipped. The goal is for 100% of our sites to be equipped by the end of the first quarter of 2012. Sarah Hébert, a sport figure emblematic of progress in defibrillation techniques, helps generate a positive view of this first aid device that is becoming more widespread in public places. 2012, the year chosen by Sarah to take up her challenge, coincides with STEF’s decision to internally highlight its objective in this regard with the necessary enthusiasm.

Four times windsurf French champion, runner-up World champion, European champion, Sarah Hébert will around mid-February leave Almadies in Dakar (Senegal), bound for Saint-François in Guadeloupe, on a standard windsurf board.
A world first for a female and a feat for this great champion who, in 2006, learned during a routine medical examination that she suffers from a heart rhythm disorder and decided to have a defibrillator implanted to be able to continue with the life of a high level sportswoman at 100%. Three months after the operation, Sarah Hébert became Formula Windsurf World champion.

Sarah Hébert’s godfather is Luc Alphand, Alpine ski world champion.

Luc Alphand, the famous French sportsman, was a great downhill specialist and won the World cup in 1997. After “retiring” at the end of 1997, he started a new career as a car racer and won the Dakar race in 2006. In 2011, he took up a new challenge and learned nautical sailing to enter the Transat Jacques-Vabre.
Luc and Sarah first met in September 2011 during the shooting of a film on STEF’s human values. As a great admirer of famous sailors, Luc Alphand was enthusiastic about Sarah’s transatlantic project and did not hesitate one minute when Sarah asked him to be her godfather. These two experts at surfing had to come back after accidents affected their lives.

Francis Lemor, Chairman of Groupe STEF said :

“The will, the perseverance and the tenacity of Sarah Hébert despite the hardships of life are admirable. We have been behind Sarah since the beginning. We share the same values of enthusiasm, respect, discipline and performance. These guide our daily life and our approach as the N°1 cold chain specialist in Europe. Everyday, STEF teams meet the challenge of delivering food to consumers throughout Europe. Sarah is also the godmother of our operation “One site, one defibrillator”. All 225 sites will be equipped by the end of the first term of 2012. Every employee of our Group will follow and support  Sarah during her fantastic adventure. It is an inspiring project and a unique moment to share for us all.

An online multi-player game

LiveSkipper, produced by BeTomorrow, will enable everyone to surf and compete with Sarah. Everyone will be able to choose his course and his sail as weather conditions will be broadcasted live during the game.  Free on internet, the iPhone/iPad application will during the crossing also be offered free of charge by STEF and Boston Scientific. The game will be available to all in the days preceding her departure on www.liveskipper.com/windsurf2012

Key facts on this world first:

• 4 000 km to cross between Senegal and Guadeloupe
• 8h surfing per day
• 25 days for the crossing
• 1 support ship, 4 windsurf boards and two set of sails
• 2 professional navigators , 1 physiotherapist, 1 cameraman / photographer

http://windsurf-transatlantic.com.

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