235 million. The number of inactive European today. Sedentarity has become a major challenge for individuals and the European Union over the past decades. With 70% of Europeans living in cities, we know they have a decisive role in stimulating physical activity. Funded by the European Union and led by Sport and Citizenship Think tank, PACTE project (Promoting Active Cities Throughout Europe) strives to transform cities into Active Cities. ECF is a partner in the PACTE Project.

On 21^st June 2019, over 70 stakeholders came together at the Committee of the Regions in Brussels, to attend a workshop on Active Workplaces, Active Europe, representing companies, sport federations, academia, local authorities, civil society and through ECF – active mobility and cycling. The workshop saw an opening panel discussion of experts and three topical interactive workshops, each considering one aspect of active workplaces.

The Active Workplaces, Active Cities Roundtable, moderated by Laurent THIEULE (President of Sport and Citizenship think tank and member of the Committee of the Regions), included Danny WOODWORTH of MSP; Kaat VAN CAUWENBERGH of Sport Vlaanderen; Vincent DEFERIERE of Veolia; and Stephan RENNER from the European Commission EASME- EU cycling group, and the first certified Cycle-Friendly Employer in Belgium. 

Mr. Woodworth presented the Liverpool Active Workplace 6-month programme and discussed the various ways employed to attract businesses in the City of Liverpool to sign up, and encourage their employees to be more active.  Ms Van Cauwenbergh, presented the ‘Sport and Movement Scan’ for employees in Flanders; a tool to assesses a person’s daily physical activity habits before establishing how to increase them throughout the day. Mr RENNER explained how EASME became Belgium’s first ‘Cycle Friendly Employer’ in early 2019. Starting with small activities such as setting up friendly competitions among colleagues, EASME has since joined a European community of Cycle-Friendly Employers across Europe.  The Cycle-Friendly Employer Consortium, with ECF as the secretariat, has national implementation points across 14 Member States. With 3 levels of certification, the label is not only a good for the branding of companies, but it also supports them in understanding their strong and weak points- which proves to be an incentive in reaching the next certification level.  

The three thematic workshops that followed were focusing on:

• Which role for municipalities in promoting active workplaces? Facilitated by Nicky YATES (Liverpool City Council) and Steve MARSDEN (Evaleo)
• Creating alliances and partnerships for active workplaces. Facilitated by Jerome PERO (FESI) and Gurvan HEUZE (EFCS)
• Towards a European certification for active workplaces. Facilitated by Michael GROSS and Alister DALRYMPLE (Evaleo).

The promotion of Active Cities throughout Europe, continues from the Active Education Workshop (February 2019, Berlin), the Active Workplaces Workshop (June 2019, Brussels) – to Active Mobility Workshop – to be organised by ECF next October 2019.

Registrations are now open for the ACTIVE MOBILITY FOR ACTIVE CITIES WORKSHOP.