A new initiative being launched today (9 August) aims to improve the application of digital processes within the UK's fitness and physical activity sector.

The Digital Futures strategy, launched in partnership by Sport England and ukactive, will see a programme of activities designed to provide operators with new insights and guidance to modernise and grow.

Designed in collaboration with tech firms – including Gladstone, Myzone, Egym, Keepme, SweatWorks, Xn and Orbit4 – Digital Futures forms a key part of ukactive’s work to support the recovery and development of the sector, including reform in some areas.

The starting point will be to evaluate the sector’s digital maturity and effectiveness across dozens of digital measures, and provide a reference point from which to chart progress towards meeting new and emerging consumer demands.

The first step is the launch of a consultation for ukactive members, which will help to identify the challenges and opportunities facing operators across the breadth of the sector.

The consultation invites operators to measure their digital maturity and effectiveness by answering a set of questions designed by consultancy, Rewrite Digital, which will provide respondents with a score.

This process will be supported through interviews and other activities to build out recommendations and insights.

The overall findings will be combined with insights from a deeper analysis of customer journeys from a selected group of operators.

Recommendations from the consultation will be presented at the ukactive Conference on 13 October, and will be used to inform policies and funding that help develop the value that all operators can generate from digital to ensure a sustainable future.

Steven Scales, director of membership and sector development at ukactive, said: “The Digital Futures strategy is a significant moment in the recovery journey of the sector moving through the pandemic.

“Based on clear insight, the ability to compare and contrast business capability and, importantly, the needs of the consumer will be headline priorities of the strategy.

“Working with key industry partners and members, the Digital Futures strategy, alongside reports and the ability to self-assess against business needs, will be key industry assets to enable the sector’s recovery and further enhance the consumer journey and experience.”

Operators wanting to ​​complete the Digital Futures consultation and receive their individual report can do so by clicking here.