AN UPDATE ON HFA’S EFFORTS ACROSS THE GLOBE
HFA Holds Its Second Global Advocacy Summit
It’s been another productive month for HFA’s advocacy mission. At the 2025 HFA European Congress in Amsterdam on October 3, we held our second Global Advocacy Summit—the first at the Congress. I helped lead a discussion with public policy experts on aligning global efforts to promote HFA’s Active by 2030 initiative, which seeks to increase physical activity participation by the year 2030.
Panelists included Caroline Brooks, head of physical activity for the World Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry; David Panger, head of corporate affairs and social impact of the Dutch Football Association; Rokas Morkunas, director of policy and member engagement of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development; and Anton Severin, HFA vice president of research. I also hosted a panel discussion on advocacy work with panelists Karl Dunne, CEO of Ireland Active, and Huw Edwards, CEO of ukactive.
I want to thank all of the participants for sharing their ideas for creating a strategic framework in achieving our public policy goals.
Federal Paralysis, Industry Progress
Beginning on October 1, 2025, the US federal government was shut down for a record 43 days. But even as gridlock gripped Capitol Hill, HFA powered forward, delivering state-level wins, championing national legislation, and ensuring fitness remains a vital policy priority across the US.
One of the biggest developments has been the introduction of the American Franchise Act (AFA) in the House of Representatives. This bipartisan legislation aims to safeguard franchisee independence and codify the current joint-employer standard that allows local operators to maintain control of their businesses.
With more than 30 co-sponsors already signed on, the bill has real momentum. HFA proudly joined the Coalition to Save Local Businesses as a founding member to support the act, which could be a game-changer for thousands of franchise fitness owners. By ensuring that franchisees remain independent and not treated as direct employees of their parent brands, the AFA protects the operational flexibility and entrepreneurial spirit that drive the fitness industry.
The Global Advocacy Summit featured policy experts in- and outside the fitness industry.
Making Physical Activity a National Priority
HFA is also leading the charge on federal legislation to enshrine physical activity as a permanent national priority. Two major bills are moving through Congress with that goal in mind:
● Make America’s Youth Healthy Again Act (H.R. 5480) formally establishing the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition into law, ensuring it remains a federal priority across administrations.
● Promoting Physical Activity for Americans Act (S. 2303), which requires Health and Human Services (HHS) to update national physical activity guidelines every 10 years.
In addition, the Physical Activity Alliance (PAA), of which HFA is a member, finalized a memorandum of understanding with the HHS, Centers for Disease Control, and the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition to formalize collaboration in keeping Americans active. I serve as chair of the PAA policy committee, and we will continue to align the fitness industry’s advocacy with national public-health goals.
Health & Fitness Business is a publication of
Health & Fitness Business (HFB) is the leading health and fitness industry publication. Published monthly by the Health & Fitness Association (HFA) and distributed free to the industry, HFB offers analysis of the opportunities, challenges, issues and news that impact the industry.
Subscribe | Advertise | Past Issues | FAQs
©2025 Health & Fitness Association | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy
70 Fargo Street, Boston, MA 02210
1627 Street NW, Suite 1210, Washington DC, 20006