women spin cycling
25/03/2020

New fitness collective seeks to balance career development

A new initiative has been launched to assess gender inequalities in the UK fitness industry.

CIMSPA is supporting a new fitness collective called RISE: Females in Fitness to engage with and empower women working in the fitness industry.

RISE is a voluntary not-for-profit group of researchers looking to gather the views and experiences of people who currently work, or have worked, in the fitness industry. The aim is to assess whether there is evidence of inequality in the workplace relating to gender.

Leading sector organisations (Sport England, ukactive and IHRSA) have also expressed their support.

Speaking about the project, Tara Dillon (CEO, CIMSPA) said “This is an important opportunity to direct the future of the sport and physical activity sector.

“We are delighted to be collaborating with RISE and other organisations to deliver a level playing field for women’s career progression and development. In order to address the inequalities in our sector, we must highlight inspirational female leaders, tackle employment conditions and fight for grassroots participation.

“This research study will help us understand exactly how to do that.”

How do I get involved?

  1. There are three simple ways to get involved with the collective and help shape the future of women in fitness.
  2. Complete the survey (regardless of gender) here.
    Share the survey on social media or with friends and colleagues in the fitness industry.
  3. Join the RISE: Females in Fitness Collective Linkedin page to join the movement and stay connected.


COMPLETE THE SURVEY - (survey now closed)

The lead researcher for this study is Dr Lou Atkinson. You can contact the research team at l.atkinson1@aston.ac.uk or 0121 204 4541.