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President Yvon Grosso and the members of the Sports Commission of UPE 06 welcomed Céline Micouin, Director of Enterprise and Society at MEDEF, and Eric Ingargiola, Director of the Sports Mission at MEDEF, to discuss the common axes of work between the two commissions, particularly focusing on integrating new governance between sports and enterprise, and the theme of health sports in businesses.
Just as MEDEF has created a “Sports Committee” tasked with guiding companies’ investments in sports and integrating the new governance of sports, UPE 06 has set up a sports commission that unites entrepreneurs, elite athletes, and representatives of the sports movement.
Sponsored by Anny Courtade, a member of the national Sports Committee at MEDEF and Vice-President of UPE 06, this commission is chaired by Christophe Lefèvre, with Martine Martinon serving as Vice-President and Jérôme Vandamme (project manager) as the driving force.
Through actions initiated by this commission, businesses in the Alpes-Maritimes aim to promote the values and spirit of enterprise within society, encouraging entrepreneurs’ involvement in major societal challenges, and asserting themselves as true responsible partners in respect to sports.
“Our ambition is to foster the emergence of a new partnership between the business world and the sports world in our regional area by creating a space for dialogue and innovation,” states Yvon Grosso, President of UPE 06.
The objectives of the Sports Commission of UPE 06:
- Structure the economic sector of sports in the Alpes-Maritimes and make it a development factor for companies (wealth and employment).
Enhance the societal role of the enterprise by emphasizing its involvement in the sports economy.
Initiate new sports governance to strengthen ties between the sports sector, economic stakeholders, and local communities.
“This is an innovative policy bringing together economic and sports sectors, based on the association of these talents, to structure an economic sector that develops our innovative expertise in sports, thereby enhancing the attractiveness of our regional territory. This commission aims to be the showcase and laboratory for the national partnership between MEDEF and CNOSF.
UPE 06’s investment, in partnership with the sports movement, in the sports economy should allow for the emergence of strong and solvent demand, promoting the development of the sports industry, sports services, sports tourism, and other economic activities related to sports. “Sports is a lever for sustainable growth for our economy. Our department aims to be the guide in developing this immense reservoir of economic growth that sports represent,” concludes Yvon Grosso, President of UPE 06.
The priority focus of the Sports Commission of UPE 06: Well-being at work and health prevention through sports participation.
France holds the European record for absenteeism at work (4.5%); 60% of the population does not engage in sufficient physical activity, 1/3 of executives have a high blood pressure level, increasing the risk of heart attacks, 66% of employees report being stressed at work, and Musculoskeletal Disorders account for 7 million lost workdays in 2007.
Physical activity associated with appropriate health prevention measures is a priority for health authorities and a major public health challenge for our country.
According to a study conducted by MEDEF on the impact of sports practice on our health system: regular sports practice would lead to savings of €250 per employee per year.
Implementation of a well-being policy in the workplace (health at work, response to employee stress, obesity prevention, etc.).
UPE 06 aims to experiment with an innovative policy to encourage the resumption of physical activity while changing daily habits, to achieve a better life balance and improve the quality of life in companies and employee well-being.
Sports as a driver for the economy of the department
The core mission of the sports commission of UPE 06 is to establish a new economic model between the sports world and the business world with a shared ambition: to become the laboratory and showcase of the new partnership between enterprises and the sports world.
Enhancing the sports economy and its contribution to the entire local economic fabric is also part of the missions of the sports commission.
“The construction of a new stadium for OGCN represents an opportunity for companies in our territory to benefit from the application of the Small Business Act in our department. More than 40% of the €245 million construction cost will be redistributed to the benefit of our local TPEs and SMEs.
The construction of this facility will also be an opportunity for UPE 06, through the implementation of inclusion clauses, to initiate an innovative sports-based inclusion policy in partnership with the Urban Community of NICE, to benefit young people in difficulty,” says Yvon Grosso.
Beyond the construction of this proposed stadium, there is a reflection with OGCN and beyond, with all business leaders, on an economic model where the stadium would be not only a venue for competitions but also a place for living and working.
“We wish, in close partnership with OGCN and VINCI, the company that will build and manage this stadium, for something to happen year-round in the OLYMPIC NICE STADIUM and not just on gala evenings.”
Destination Olympic Village London 2012
In this year of Olympic preparation, UPE 06 will work to ensure that companies in the Alpes-Maritimes come together to be present at the Olympic Village in London 2012 to support our Olympic and Paralympic athletes.
MEDEF, in partnership with CNOSF, will offer special packages through UPE 06 for the benefit of companies in the Azur region.
“Sports can help us address very challenging contemporary issues: social cohesion, the transmission of values, workplace health. The world of sports and business share common values: excellence, competition, and the drive for achievement, athletes’ mantras, are also the values of the business. Therefore, for the Sports Commission of UPE 06, in consultation with the national Sports Commission of MEDEF, one of tomorrow’s challenges is to bring these two realms closer and create a dynamic that will enable the establishment of a sustainable Sports health policy within companies, and to stimulate an economic dynamic around sports in our territory,” concludes Yvon Grosso.
