Sport at work, Morocco’s new lever of influence in Africa?

In Morocco, the rise of the practice of sport in business with a view to promoting well-being in the professional environment is becoming a tool of influence for the country’s influence across the African continent. However, its full potential is not reached, due to institutional limits and the absence of certain actors in the development of these activities, mainly managed by companies.

In recent years, sport at work has attracted growing interest, both from businesses and academics; Much research has also focused on managerial practices linked to sport.

La Marocaine des jeux et des sports (MDJS) and the General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises (CGEM), convinced of the benefits of sport on the physical and mental well-being of employees, created in April 2019, the Association for the Promotion of sport in business in Morocco (APSEM). This initiative led to the organization of the first African forum on corporate sport which was held in Casablanca in September 2022. At the beginning of 2024, the Moroccan Federation of Sports Professionals (FMPS) launched the “sports company” label, intended to promote Moroccan companies by integrating sport into their organizational strategy. Sports activity would stimulate both the well-being of employees as well as their ability to work.

But how do these initiatives fit into an overall business ecosystem? Can they become a driver of economic and social transformation in Morocco? And how could the country, thanks to this initiative, increase its influence on the continent?

The global reach of physical activities in the workplace

Corporate physical activity programs represent a promising strategy for improving employee health and organizational performance. Faced with the global increase in diseases linked to a sedentary lifestyle, such as obesity and musculoskeletal disorders, these initiatives have the advantage of reducing sedentary behavior and boosting productivity.

Studies (Brinkley et al., 2016; Dabkowski et al., 2023; Zhu et al., 2019) highlight the positive effect of work environments adapted to reducing sedentary lifestyles – such as seated desks. standing or exercise breaks – when these are accompanied by appropriate organizational policies. However, obstacles persist, particularly in terms of financing and employee support. Among the obstacles identified are lack of motivation, insufficient equipment, workload and from a stronger lack of time. Furthermore, results vary depending on several parameters, such as employee profiles, the size of participating organizations, the types of activities offered and the resources available. These variations highlight the need to adapt programs to local realities to maximize their effectiveness.

Moroccan context

Morocco is experiencing an alarming increase in obesity as reports reveal World Obesity Atlas 2023 and those of 2024. By 2035, 46% of Moroccan adults will be obese, with an annual increase of 2.7% since 2020. Childhood obesity is growing even more rapidly with an increase of 5.2% per year. In 2016, 26.2% of adults and 87.3% of young people practiced insufficient physical activity.

On the economic level, the report World Obesity Atlas 2023 estimates that excess weight will cost $7.3 billion in 2035, or approximately 3.8% of Morocco’s GDP, due to health costs and losses linked to absenteeism, presenteeism and premature deaths. This situation calls for urgent prevention policies which combine awareness-raising measures, dietary regulation and the promotion of physical activity, particularly through initiatives such as sport at work.

A trend facilitated by institutional tools

Created in April 2019, the aforementioned APSEM encourages the practice of physical activities in a professional environment. Its main missions include the organization of corporate sporting events and raising awareness of the benefits of sport at work. The association has also developed a charter to govern these practices and launched a website to make it easier for companies to join.

In addition, in 2024, the Moroccan Federation of Sports Professionals launched the “Sports Society” label to promote the integration of sport into corporate culture in Morocco. It promotes companies engaged in the development of physical activities among their employees and strengthens their attractiveness on the job market, by positioning these companies as references in responsible managerial practices.

This label is based on criteria such as the organization of sporting events, the provision of suitable infrastructure and the deployment of awareness campaigns. Labeled companies pay an amount of 7,000 dirhams (around 700 euros) in order to use it. For its first edition, 14 companies from various sectors – finance, technology, health, energy and leisure – stood out, including Axa Assurance, Capgemini, Intelcia, and TotalEnergies.

The Moroccan Corporate Sports Games (JMSE) event has established itself, in three years, as a major annual meeting in Morocco. In June 2024, their third edition brought together more than 2,000 employees from 80 companies from various professional and geographical backgrounds. Over three days, participants competed in 13 sporting disciplines. More than just an event, the JMSE has become a showcase for companies, to promote their commitment to the well-being of their employees and their image as an employer.

A new Moroccan soft power tool in Africa

Morocco is strengthening its diplomacy by integrating sport into innovative initiatives, such as the first African Business Sport Forum organized in 2022. This unprecedented continent-wide event brought together public decision-makers and businesses. It shows Rabat’s efforts in promoting physical activity in the professional environment and also affirms the role of sport as a lever for an innovative managerial ecosystem.

This forum embodies the Moroccan ambition to become a key regional player in the promotion of well-being in business. Inspired by the global role of sport as a tool of diplomacy and international influence, this commitment is part of a broader strategy, illustrated by the organization of CAN 2025 and the co-organization of the 2030 World Cup. Morocco thus fully appropriates sport as a tool of influence on the international scene, in particular, on the scale of Africa.

Challenges and perspectives

Despite significant progress, particularly through companies labeled “Sports Society”, the promotion of physical activities in the professional environment in Morocco remains mainly driven by multinationals and large companies which concentrate significant resources. This leaves aside a large part of the Moroccan economic fabric, in particular very small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as well as public structures. It is therefore crucial to expand this initiative by offering accessible solutions to these stakeholders.

In addition, to optimize the impact of these programs, scientific research should be encouraged on the effects of physical activities in the workplace in Morocco. National data would make it possible to concretely assess their benefits on health, productivity and the competitiveness of businesses, while guiding public policies with a view to further mobilizing other economic actors, still excluded from this booming sector.