Ascendis Health had six operating companies, six separate portals and one central HR team responsible for keeping the programme together.

The group spans pharmaceuticals, medical devices, consumer health, scientific supply and specialist distribution. Its employees work in offices, laboratories, warehouses and the field. A single campaign couldn't assume that everyone had the same working day or the same reason to take part.

Strove gave Ascendis one operating model for the group while preserving a separate space for each company.

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Six portals, one control point

The central team can onboard new employees, move members between companies and remove people who have left. Each operating company retains its own portal and participation data, while HR can coordinate the programme across the group.

That structure solves a practical problem. Ascendis doesn't need six unrelated wellbeing suppliers or six sets of campaign rules. It can run a shared calendar, compare participation and recognise each company's strongest contributors.

Membership accuracy matters as much as campaign design. Out-of-date lists create reporting errors and make programmes harder to trust. A central process gives Ascendis a clearer base for each new initiative.

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A campaign calendar that creates repetition

Ascendis runs a sequence of movement and nutrition challenges rather than relying on one annual launch.

The first-quarter campaign included four movement challenges and a meal-logging challenge. Employees could track activity, join leaderboards, record meals and earn points for consistent participation. Winners and regular contributors were recognised after each round.

The results show the scale of participation:

• 533 members registered across the group
• 304 members activated, a 57% activation rate
• 127 activated members joined at least one challenge
• 1,958 entries recorded across the five first-quarter challenges
• More than 117.6 million steps recorded across the group

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Different companies, different patterns

Surgical Innovations and ACB/AMS led on challenge participation and total activations. Cardaxes, Ortho-Xact and The Scientific Group developed smaller groups of members who continued recording steps beyond the campaign dates.

That variation gives Ascendis a better management question than “Did the group participate?” The team can see where a launch created broad interest, where a smaller committed group formed and where a different campaign may be needed.

The personal motivations vary too.

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"For me, this journey isn't only about the points or the leaderboard. It's about showing up consistently and doing something small every day to maintain balance in my life. Wellness doesn't have to be extreme to be effective."

‍Sanneli Kruger, Marketing Manager, Ascendis Consumer Brands

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Frik du Toit describes a more performance-led motivation:

"Consistency beats motivation. Showing up every day, even when it's tough, is what drives real progress."

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One programme can support both types of participant without forcing them into the same goal.

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Adding population-level visibility

Ascendis introduced Health Mirror to members in June 2026. The smartphone-based scan estimates selected indicators, including resting heart rate, blood pressure and respiratory rate.

The feature gives members another way to engage with their personal trends and gives the organisation an aggregated view of available data.

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Why movement remains a useful anchor

Movement works across job types because it can include walking and everyday activity, not only structured exercise. The World Health Organization's guidance states that some physical activity is better than none and that replacing sedentary time with movement can offer health benefits.

The next test is operational: increase activation beyond 57% and learn which campaign formats work for each company.

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