WFSGI CEO Emma Zwiebler: “We are focused on unlocking the potential in the industry”

The discussion is intense among the six ladies gathered around the table at ISPO Munich. What can be done for the vast number of inactive people, who according to data from the World Health Organization (WHO) make up 31 percent of the world’s population? Nike’s Elena Korf and Adidas’ Marina Moguš sit beside Fiona Bull, head of the WHO’s Physical Activity Unit, and describe how their companies try to make young people more active. And the woman up there with them lays it out in simple terms:

“1.8 billion people are living an inactive life on the planet. That is another China. We need to do more about inactivity in the world,” she says before the panel talk ends. 

When SGI Europe met with Zwiebler, just after the panel talk, it was almost like putting the microphone under the nose of any pro athlete who’s just crossed the finish line. She was pumped up with adrenaline and spoke from the heart. As you’ll read below, we managed to speak with her again shortly after the swearing-in of US President Donald Trump.  

The former sports advocate and badminton pro who became CEO of the World Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry (WFSGI) in May 2024 is truly worried about the lack of inactivity. It’s not just the money and the job opportunities in the industry that she’s thinking of. Inactivity has been on WFSGI’s radar for quite a while. Since the beginning of 2023 the organization has had a memorandum of understanding with the WHO to raise awareness of the issue with stakeholders. So our first question is therefore about the panel discussion, Zwiebler’s worried face and a WHO statistic that a lot of young people are even more inactive than their parents. 

“Now, we have a divided society where sport is accessible and affordable for some and not for others, which is not good.”

SGI Europe: During the talk, you said, “We need to do more.” Could you specify what you meant? Can the major brands help more to get people more active?

Zwiebler: I believe a lot has been done. The biggest brands, like Nike and Adidas, are some of our biggest supporters of this, I feel, since I came to WFSGI. Especially through their local programs where they work to promote activity. But this is complicated. As Dr. Fiona Bull said, “the key is to live a healthy, long life.” Now, we have a divided society where sport is accessible and affordable for some and not for others, which is not good.

Sports are expensive these days for ordinary people. Where I come from, Sweden, we see a divide in sports for kids. Families with money will put their children into activities like football and ice hockey, but there are a lot of families that can’t afford it. Both parents work, but their pay isn’t enough to cover the costs.   

Yes, sports can be expensive, and people are challenged in many ways. If you grow up in a less fortunate place, you start from an inactive baseline compared to where you and I are. Besides that, your parents need to have a job to be able to pay for the activity. There are many things that kids need to have to stay active. You also need someone to take you to practice.

What can you and members like Adidas and Nike do better to make more young people active?

Of course, we as an industry play a key role here. But it’s not the solution for Adidas or Nike to give away products. The companies, our members, need to work with local clubs and the community to make activity possible for everyone. It cannot be the company or the community. The two have to cooperate. Public infrastructure also comes into the mix. What happens if there are no parks left in the cities? We now see that safe spaces in cities are also decreasing. All these trends are challenging for people and organizations like ours. Sports companies and communities have to work together to help kids stay active.

There are mighty forces from other industries that want the attention of our young ones. Music, video games and the infotainment industry, for instance. What is WFSGI’s support strategy to maintain a strong sporting goods industry?

Our purpose is to unite and support the global sporting goods industry to ensure a healthier, more active planet for all. As a trade association we look at the non-competitive topics of common interest where we can support and promote industry growth. Together with our members we’ve chosen four key pillars where we feel we can make a difference. Those are: influencing physical activity from playground to podium; supporting transition in a changing world; promoting and facilitating free and fair global trade; and enabling sustainable business.

“Sport touches billions of lives, but its effectiveness depends on how its power is harnessed.”

What’s the status of the sporting goods industry today? 

Sport touches billions of lives. It can unite communities, engage diverse populations and serve as a platform to transcend cultural, economic and social divides. However, its effectiveness depends on how its power is harnessed.

That’s why we, the WFSGI, are focused on unlocking this potential in the sporting goods industry, to maintain a strong sporting goods industry that delivers healthier people and a healthier planet. To do this, the industry needs to be visible and clear about the incredible value it brings to communities and economies.

“I’m excited to see how fairs, in general, will develop over the coming years.”

In the last ten years, ISPO and other trade shows have changed and shrunk a lot. Interesting people and brands do come, but, as many say, the show now lacks the buyers, the chain retailers and the stores that used to attend. What’s the future of trade shows? Are they worth spending time and money on for the industry?

Yes, ISPO has changed since I joined WFSGI, and their transition from a traditional trade fair to a hybrid event that includes a simultaneous congress looking at the industry’s key issues was accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic.

And how can the show adapt to become the place where the whole industry meets up?

As with every business, models must change to adapt to trends, and ISPO is no different. ISPO is currently testing what works best for them and their audience, trying more experiential and thought-leadership elements. WFSGI was actively engaged in ISPO 2024, and I’m excited to see how fairs, in general, will develop over the coming years to continue their support for the industry. The response to Covid showed us that there’s a need for an annual event to convene the industry.

“The sporting goods industry risks leaving money on the table by not being more vocal on the different tariffs it faces.”

Tariffs between countries and other bodies have become highly topical, especially with the start of Trump’s second presidential term. Can WFSGI and the industry do anything to prevent trade problems connected to tariffs?

We promote and facilitate free and fair trade and work on several trade cases for our members. In the past, we have successfully led a case for reducing Brazilian anti-dumping duties on footwear imports from China, saving members close to $5 million.

We believe that by aligning on a clear message articulating the value proposition of our industry from both an economic and a social impact perspective and engaging in public policy and advocating on behalf of our members at the WTO and with individual governments, we can drive positive change for our members and the industry.

The sporting goods industry risks leaving money on the table by not being more vocal about the different tariffs it faces. We encourage the entire sector to actively engage in advocacy and public affairs, as individual companies and through the WFSGI, and our colleagues at other trade associations who serve as industry representatives at the global and local levels.

“By joining forces through our federation, members can completely disrupt the entire chain of counterfeit products.”

The high number of fake products online and in stores is hurting the industry. What could WFSGI do about this? 

The WFSGI plays a crucial role in coordinating and federating efforts to share information and insights in a neutral manner on IP-sensitive matters/brand abuses, joining forces to share enforcement costs, and protecting its members by being at the front line in this fight against brand abuses.

Cooperation through the WFSGI is essential, as counterfeiters rarely target just one brand. When merchandise counterfeiting one brand is seized, counterfeiters quickly switch to another, creating a whack-a-mole effect. Members joining forces through our federation can completely disrupt the entire chain of counterfeit products, effectively putting suspects out of business and sending a strong signal to authorities that the industry is united in its response.

In this context, the WFSGI has coordinated several successful joint raids with Southeast Asian members since 2019. These raids have targeted retailers, shops and factories to seize ever larger volumes of counterfeit goods.

During the pandemic, the counterfeiting landscape changed significantly. With reduced stocks and closed courts, enforcement became challenging. Counterfeiters became more active online, using platforms like TikTok and WhatsApp for new attempts, particularly targeting Gen Z, which push our brands to prioritize how they can effectively detect and remove infringements. The WFSGI has partnered with Corsearch to combat online brand abuses, as the fight needs to be both online and offline, given their interconnected nature.

We’re seeing bigger and bigger sustainability initiatives in the industry, like Carbios, SYRE and Cellulose. What can WFSGI do to make the industry even greener and support these initiatives?

The sporting goods industry has traditionally approached sustainability in silos, with companies individually tackling environmental issues. That’s why we’re focusing on enabling sustainable business in our strategic plan to unify efforts, centralize strategies and share best practices across members. We are at the starting line, having just brought in a new team member with ten-plus years of experience to help galvanize our efforts, so watch this space. Some industry-wide sustainability challenges we see are access to green energy and inconsistent regulations across regions, which governments must address to enable meaningful progress. Our ESG Committee leadership, featuring Adidas, Nike, New Balance and Schwalbe, is bringing together an industry-wide view of where members need our support and where we can make a difference. We want to centralize efforts to increase impact and reduce inefficiencies in the area of sustainability across the sporting goods industry.

“What’s important now is that we continue to advance the conversation and push this topic higher up on agendas so it becomes a social imperative.”

What was the most important thing to come out of Davos for the WFSGI? (Zwiebler represented the sporting goods industry at the recent World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting in Davos.)

Firstly, I’m very grateful to the WEF team for allowing the WFSGI to bring this topic to Davos and supporting it through their “Sport for People and Planet” talk.

It’s a very important moment to get sport and the sporting goods industry on the agenda at such gatherings and discuss it at the same level as other business sectors. We must use platforms like Davos to advance the narrative on the positive contribution sport and our industry can make to people’s lives and well-being while also recognizing the areas that need further work to help play our part in reducing the impact on the planet.

Our “Sport for People and Planet” speech was a step forward in raising awareness of what a valuable vehicle sport can be for a future that delivers a healthier, more active planet for all. We cannot separate physical, mental and planetary health from our wellbeing and prosperity. What’s important now is that we continue to advance the conversation and push this topic higher up on agendas so it becomes a social imperative.

What are you most looking forward to working on in the sports industry? 

I’m really looking forward to showing just how powerful our industry can be when it comes to helping turn the tide on the physical inactivity crisis. Movement, sport, exercise, play, physical activity – call it what you want, but it’s the bread and butter of our industry, and what drives the people working in it across the world. We all turn up every day to help people be more active in one way or another, and I’m excited to harness that power for the good of both people and the planet.

Finally, Emma, what have you learned after being the CEO for almost a year? 

Progress cannot be made alone. It takes a team and a commitment and drive from all stakeholders to make positive change happen. But I would also add that to make a difference, you have to get comfortable with being uncomfortable.