Heather H. walked at least 20,000 steps every day. Tom S. racked up hundreds of road, gravel, and mountain biking miles each month. Edwin T. logged a daily run of five kilometers.

Heather, Tom, and Edwin were just three of the over 5,000 Principal employees who participated in the V Foundation for Cancer Research 2025 Charity Miles challenge. The goal was for all Principal^® employees across the globe to move at least 1 million miles and, in doing so, raise $1 million for the V Foundation. Principal employees smashed that number, doubling it to rack up 2 million total miles in a year.

The challenge had an obvious allure, says Tom, who is an information security engineer. Like many employees, physical activity is part of his routine; not only will you find Tom biking but also canoeing and kayaking, walking and hiking. His logic was: I’m already moving; why not record the miles and support a good cause? “I’ve always prioritized staying active, and the Principal support of Charity Miles made it easy to turn something I already love into something that benefits others,” he says.

Edwin, an investment operations associate, agrees; for him, the challenge was the perfect blend of the Principal culture of giving back with his personal goals of moving. “Charity Miles combines two things I value—staying active and supporting a good cause,” says Edwin. “Knowing that every mile contributes to charity makes each workout more meaningful. It turns exercise into something bigger than myself, which keeps me motivated.”

During the year-long challenge, different departments created teams who tracked progress both individually and together. Heather, an executive assistant, has been active for years, transitioning from running to walking. When it came to the Charity Miles challenge, the amenable yet informal competition for the challenge’s leader spots proved to be a good motivator. “As much as I try to deny it, I am pretty competitive by nature,” Heather says. “I quickly realized I would never be able to compete with the biking miles, but I made it a goal to try to stay in the top 25 for all employees, and top three for females.”

No matter the changes in the top spot from day to day, it was always a competition grounded in good humor, says Tom. “There’s a great sense of camaraderie at Principal—several of us enjoy challenging each other and seeing whose name ends up at the top of the leaderboard each week,” he says. “We all have different goals and priorities depending on the season, but a personal highlight for me was logging back-to-back months of more than 900 cycling miles. I don’t think I would have pushed quite that hard without Charity Miles as a motivator. That friendly competition added an extra layer of fun.”

Ultimately, says Edwin, the Charity Miles challenge was more than miles. “It reflects our values of community and purpose,” he says. “It’s rewarding to see how small actions can create a positive impact, and I’m proud to be part of a company that encourages that.”