Bank of Bermuda employees shed 2,419 lbs, the equivalent of a ton, in the bank's Biggest Winner competition.

Almost 300 employees finished the weight loss and wellness initiative between January and June, which saw more than $50,000 in prize money being handed out and a $21,000 donation being presented to three local charities.

In its second year, the Biggest Winner aims to encourage staff members to become more physically active, embrace better eating habits and live a healthier lifestyle.

Bank of Bermuda CFO and Project Sponsor of the Biggest Winner Nigel Crow said: "Everyone is a winner from this initiative. I am even hesitant to use the term competition, as it is much more than that, it's about embracing a healthier lifestyle.

"We never expected such outstanding results. We had participants losing as much as 25 percent of their body weight and many participants are now committed to embracing a healthier lifestyle for the long run. It's remarkable."

The bank employees participated in teams of three and were divided into four categories depending on their body mass index (BMI).

A top prize of $3,000 was awarded for each winning team in each category and the top individual by category was also awarded $1,000, based upon the highest percentage of body weight lost by the final weigh-in on Monday, June 9.

Second placed teams were awarded $1,800 and third place teams $1,200.

As a further incentive to drop the pounds, the Bank of Bermuda Foundation agreed to match every pound lost during the competition with a $5 contribution up to a $10,000 limit to be shared between Open Airways, the Bermuda Heart Foundation and the Bermuda Diabetes Association.

Bank of Bermuda also matched the donation up to an $11,000 limit, resulting in a $21,000 donation being presented to the three charities.

Bank of Bermuda CEO, Philip Butterfield said he was pleased to have continued the initiative for a second year and was equally encouraged that other organisations were taking up the challenge. He said: "This competition has shown what we can achieve as individuals and as an organisation to improve our health and well-being.

"If we can take small steps as individuals and companies to encourage healthy living, we really have the opportunity to improve the overall health and well being of the community at large."