From the President 17/09/2009

Dear Colleagues,                             

In addition to the global financial crisis, we have seen the continuing challenge of obesity, physical inactivity and the growth of related chronic conditions. Governments across the world are realising the severity of this issue.

This year saw the first ever Centre for Disease Control Conference on the prevention, management and cure of obesity in Washington DC.

The World Health Organisation published the report "Interventions on diet and physical activity:  what works" which continues to track the implementation of the 2004 global strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health.

The European Union opened its first ever direct funding stream for health enhancing physical activity through sport.

These developments are being mirrored in national governments across Europe.

Investment in the prevention and management of conditions relating to physical activity is on an upward trajectory.

This poses a question towards our sector. We are increasingly going to be called upon to provide the facilities to help people to become more active. This will not be enough.

We also need to be confident in our ability to provide prescriptive programmes with determined outcomes. We need to demonstrate clear measurability in what we do. We will have to become better at proving to our members that we are having a direct beneficial effect on their health.

That evidence will also have to be used to demonstrate to the parties financing the use of our facilities by our members – their employers, health insurance providers (whether public or private) and government. We must continue to assess whether we are fit for this future.

I have seen this industry rise and falter, only to reach the stage it is at today where it is poised for a completely new phase of innovation and development to meet the new expectations which are placed upon it.

In the 1980’s, when mobile phones cost €2500, I was selling memberships at twice the rate they are available today. A considerable degree of value has fallen out of our product. That is an inevitable effect of growing supply and competition.

However, with the market-expanding abilities of low-cost fitness operators entering the debate, all operators in the sector have to be thinking about how they position their proposition.

A key differentiating point of the future will be the skills and competencies of fitness professionals and their ability to provide evidence based programmes that deliver the outcomes to achieve when people enter our doors. It will be operators that are able to provide them in a measured fashion that continue to thrive.

That is why I am so passionate about the European Register of Exercise Professionals which continues its development. The Register will be live in the Netherlands in 2010 and only an unfortunate outbreak of political wrangling has prevented its implementation in a similar timeframe in Portugal and Ireland. The Register continues to show a strong development with members from 25 different European countries. The EHFA Verification Unit has so far verified training providers from Hungary, Ireland, Spain, Netherlands and Sweden. More training companies in France, Italy, Norway and The Netherlands are planned to be verified in the next 6 months. They are able to say that their courses are EHFA Verified and their graduates suitable for direct registration on EREPS.

We are doing everything we can to make the accreditation process more affordable and I am delighted that we have managed to secure funding from the European Union to support this.

I would encourage any training provider with a commitment to the long term vision of a European Union in which fitness professionals are as free as Doctors to transport their qualifications and employment wherever they wish to go to contact the EHFA Secretariat and kick-start the verification process. Leading employers in the sector are already committing to only recruit members of the Register so it really is within the business interests of all involved.

It is an exciting time to work in our sector. Increasingly, our members of staff are seen as the people with the knowledge and competencies to support people through the process of adopting healthier lifestyles. We must continuously protect and enhance that status.

2009 has so far been an exciting year for EHFA: 

First, we had a very successful General Assembly in April, where the strategy for EHFA was approved by the membership.

Second, established the Scientific Advisory Board which is led by Professor Willem van Mechelen, one of the world’s foremost experts on physical activity promotion.

Third, we identified Professor Alfonso Jiménez as the ideal candidate to take on the role of Chairman of the EHFA Standards Council, the Supreme Court style body which is responsible for governing the standards setting role of EHFA’s activities.

Together, the two professors have a great deal of work ahead of them. I am pleased that they have so far both attacked that work with great energy.

Fourth, our work with the European Commission continues to go from strength to strength. I was delighted that the Commission felt that EHFA was adding such value to the development of policy at the European level that it agreed to support EHFA’s core activities for a second year running.

This support has enabled EHFA to reach out to members across Europe, including the Central European Fitness Forum in May in Prague and the EHFA Executive Leadership Forum in Santpoort, the Netherlands.

I was particularly excited by the debates at the 1st Executive Leadership Forum. EHFA managed to bring together the CEOs of Europe’s 17 leading operators for a two day brainstorming event supported by Deloitte. Together we worked through the challenges on the horizon outlined above – how we develop the capabilities of our “army” of staff and how we innovate to attack the new future that we face.  Facilitated by Professor Cyril Bouquet from the IMD Business School / Lausanne, Switzerland, the event was a phenomenal success and we are looking forward to the follow-up in Brussels, now planned for 9 and 10 December 2009.

I am delighted that we have come to an agreement with IHRSA that respects and recognises the respective roles of the two organisations. Now that this is settled, I believe that the relationship with IHRSA can only go from strength to strength.

The team in Brussels continues to work hard at promoting the health and fitness sector to the European Commission. This work will not slow down but only intensify as we develop stronger relationships and partnerships with the key organisations.  

The EHFA 2nd EU Policy Forum in Brussels brought together high ranking EU officials and our industry leading experts to promote a constructive dialogue on issues such as Taxation and EU Health Policy.   

This summer we have submitted three potential projects with the European Commission that would help to transform the European health and fitness sector. We will know before year-end if our bids have been accepted.

I hope that next time that I write to you, I will be able to provide you with more good news!

Yours Sincerely,
Harm B. Tegelaars
President
EHFA

^{Please also read:
From the President 10/04/08
From the President 11/7/07}