Diversity and inclusion

Promoting equal opportunities and preventing discrimination.

DECATHLON is an international company with employees from a wide range of backgrounds. It values all contributions and believes that everyone should have equal chances of success.

Diversity helps the company to understand its customers better and contributes to its growth.
DECATHLON strives to create a level playing field and equal opportunities for all its teammates. The Group promotes talent regardless of an employee’s beliefs, age, disability, parental status, ethnic origin, nationality, sexual or gender identity, sexual orientation, political or religious affiliation, trade union or minority organisation membership, or any other characteristic that could be used as a basis for discrimination. The Whispli alert platform allows teammates to report all acts of discrimination, harassment, etc., that could harm employee physical and mental health.

DECATHLON’s purpose, “Move People Through the Wonders of Sport”, aims to democratise sport and its practice for everyone–– including teammates––all around the world. Through this purpose, the company wants to promote equal opportunities for an overall state of physical, mental and social well-being.

DECATHLON’s conviction is to be a company where teammates feel comfortable being themselves, reflecting the diversity of the customers and users it serves and the society in which it operates. Its ability to catalyse differences and promote mutual understanding and respect drives creativity, performance, responsibility and attractiveness.

In 2024, DECATHLON formally established a new Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) strategy, structured around four main themes:
1. Reflecting society’s diversity, including gender balance, international diversity and inclusion of people with disabilities.
2. Creating a sense of belonging among stakeholders (teammates, customers and society).
3. Boosting performance through inclusion, especially through digital accessibility.
4. Ensuring compliance with the regulatory framework, developing advocacy actions and establishing partnerships.

The implementation of this strategy is based on close coordination between the Group team, composed of four members, and local teams in the countries. The Group team sets the strategic direction, while the HR leaders and local Diversity, Equity and Inclusion leaders are responsible for deploying the strategy and adapting it to local cultural and legal specificities.

At the same time, DECATHLON continues to work on a global DEI policy in line with its ambitions in order to launch, strengthen and promote the development of affirmative actions for its employees in the countries where the company is present. The aim of this policy is to support the inclusion of under represented groups and vulnerable people through four pillars:
- Inclusive hiring
- Appointments and career development
- Pay equity
- Caregiver support

2024 in figures

Keeping people at work: 115 teammates were assisted in having their disability recognised in house (141 in 2023) and 135 employees (97 in 2023) received technical (workplace design), psychological and behavioural support
- Raising awareness: Four thematic days were dedicated to cancer, long COVID, mental health and endometriosis; they were attended by over 940 teammates (conferences were held involving employees affected by illness and medical experts, offering advice on how to obtain a better work-illness balance, as well as sharing contacts and concrete solutions).
- Hiring: 129 people with disabilities were hired (all contracts combined), including 20.9% under permanent contracts (182 in 2023, including 19.2% under permanent contracts), and 4.6% of teammates at Decathlon France with disabilities (3.5% in 2023)
- Relations with the sheltered employment environment:
Six people from sheltered employment were hired under permanent contracts (four in 2023), and 182 sites work with the sheltered employment environment for services such as cleaning premises, bicycle assembly, store reception and racket stringing.

This year, DECATHLON France was awarded the Cancer@Work label with three stars. This association recognises organisations committed to including employees facing a long illness and to developing actions that promote and
encourage good practices with other companies to balance illness and work.

DECATHLON's social impact

By designing, manufacturing, transporting… DECATHLON has an impact on thousands of people each day. An impact that should be assessed, measured, and improved.

STAKEHOLDERS

Institutional relations, eco-design, green IT, environmental impact management, manufacturing responsibility, due diligence, product quality and safety.

DECATHLON Annual sustainable development reports

Non-financial reporting statements since 2013, Due diligence plans since 2017 and Modern slavery statements.

Questions you may have about DECATHLON's sustainable development

The questions you'll find here are those put to us by our teammates in an internal survey and that customers shared with us during meet ups over coffee

DECATHLON Foundation: changing lives through sport.

The DECATHLON foundation is to make the pleasure and benefits of sport permanently accessible to children and adults in fragile situations.