To move towards fairer, healthier, and more prosperous societies while ensuring a healthy planet for future generations, the European Green Deal was introduced in December 2019. This comprehensive framework drives a sustainable revolution in the European Union’s economy and society, outlining necessary actions and objectives for every industry, including sport, fitness and physical activity.
With the European fitness market representing 64 970 clubs, 67,7 million club users, and a total revenue of € 31,8 billion in 2023, the sector must concern itself with green transition and proactively embark on its transformation.
According to data from the 2024 European Health & Fitness Market Report, the fitness and physical activity sector in Europe is increasingly recognising the importance of sustainability: 87% of European operators measure their performance regarding environmental indicators such as water and energy consumption, while 79% track resource preservation and recycling.
Yet, discrepancies between awareness, goal setting and action prevail: only 40% have taken specific actions on the former, and 30% have done so on the latter. Further divides appear when comparing larger and smaller operators, with smaller businesses facing greater capacity challenges to implement environmental measures.
On this note, the trailing of the Green Audit Self-Assessment tool revealed the extent to which fitness and sport club, or centre, managers and/or owners have varying levels of awareness about the necessity to green their businesses. Though awareness is growing, a firm understanding of what it means in practice to make a business sustainable, of which effective measures could or should be implemented, is still lacking.
In a humble attempt to support fitness and sport stakeholders to take the first steps in their sustainability journey, EuropeActive and the Green Audit project consortium are proud to announce the publication of the Recommendations for Greener Fitness, Physical Activity and Sport Sectors.
Drafted by the sustainability entrepreneur and consultant Maurits Groen, the Recommendations intend to offer a strategic approach and inspire the green transition within the fitness, physical activity, and sport sectors. The document provides a concise overview of sustainability in the fitness and physical activity sector, and offers tangible recommendations and areas of action for stakeholders to consider for their organisation’s green transition.
Central to these Recommendations is the call to increase awareness about the necessity, and self-interest, of ‘going green’. This should be accompanied by practical tools and resources to support practitioners implement concrete measures.
More specifically it is recommended that:
- National federations or associations take the lead by offering a framework appropriate to their respective country, given that fitness and sport club/centres operate in significantly differing contexts across the continent,
- Said national federation or association draft a national greening plan for their sector and stakeholders containing objectives, timelines, and a specific implementation and organisation outline: who will be involved, defined responsibilities, required budget and how to secured it,
- An ‘Eco or Green Team’ is established, with representatives from national level and practitioners,
- The national federation or association ensures continuity of the topic by rendering the plan and information readily available to the sector, and by ensuring contact is reachable.
Fitness and sport club, or centre, managers and/or owners must consider that assessing their sustainability performance, setting goals, and implementing these changes evidence them bearing their responsibility to become aligned with (inter)national sustainability policies and frameworks, but are equally smart approaches to reducing their operational costs.
Furthermore, expectations regarding sustainability efforts and performance continue to grow, for both employees and clients who expect proactive attitudes and actions, and whose loyalty undeniably increases for services and spheres that address their contributions to a healthier world.
To delve deeper into these insights and play a part in promoting sustainability within the sector, explore the Recommendations and help spread the message within your network!
The Green Audit project ran between June 2022 and May 2024, and was co-funded by the Erasmus+ Sport programme of the European Union.
