Most participants in a remote 'Around the World' distance team challenge in 24 hours

The most participants in a remote 'Around the World' distance team challenge in 24 hours is 30,034 people and was achieved by Deutsche Bank (Germany), on 24 September 2026.

Together, the participants recorded 304,883,456 steps and 217,991.671 km (135,453.744 miles) total distance, which was over 5X the circumference of Earth.

The participant with the longest distance was an ultra marathon runner who covered 82 km in the 24 hours.

The attempt was the centrepiece of Deutsche Bank's internal initiative "Together We Push Further" – a campaign designed to strengthen collaboration across departments, teams and countries. The idea was straightforward: employees around the world would track their physical activity simultaneously over a single 24-hour period, collectively covering a distance greater than the circumference of the Earth. What followed exceeded all expectations.

A total of 30,034 employees laced up their trainers, logged their steps and got moving – from offices, parks, gyms and streets spanning every corner of the globe. Together, they recorded an extraordinary 304,883,456 steps, translating to a combined distance of 217,991 km. To put that in perspective, this would take the team more than halfway from Earth to the Moon.

Individual contributions varied enormously. At one end of the spectrum, an ultra-marathon runner among the participants clocked an impressive 82 km (5-0.9 miles) within the 24-hour window alone. At the other, countless employees simply walked their daily routes – each step counting towards the same shared goal.

Participants tracked their activity using the YuMuuv platform, with a manual submission option available for those unable to use the app, ensuring no one was left behind.

"We were surprised by the incredible level of participation," said Deutsche Bank. "This record belongs to all of our employees who took part."

Whether the initiative will inspire rival institutions to dust off their own trainers remains to be seen. What's certain is that Deutsche Bank's workforce has set a benchmark that will take some serious mileage to beat.