Our stakeholders

On the Environment and Quality committees of the FCD (Federation for Commerce and Distribution), that works to promote Sustainable Development (whose main work is to support donations and apply the Circular Economy Law).

On the Environment committee since 2014 (includes work on updating the code of conduct, an event linking CSR and sport, and the functional organisation of Extended Producer Responsibility for Sports and Leisure goods):

Since 2015, follow-up of work monitored by the CSR Commission of the WFSGI (sharing intelligence information, CSR practice benchmarking, participation in webinars, etc.).

Member of the Eurocommerce Environment Committee, so as to monitor and anticipate any future strategic and legislative developments for the European Union in terms of the environment: 

Member for several years of the ORSE (Observatory on Corporate Social Responsibility, a multi-stakeholder organisation that keeps a constant watch in France, Europe and internationally and advises companies on their CSR strategies. Decathlon joined the ORSE board of directors in June 2019.

Part of the eco-labelling pre-roll-out project with ADEME and the French Ministry for the Environment. Leads the project committee (COPROJ) for textile eco-labelling.

Attendance at board of director meetings of Refashion (formerly ECO-TLC) which is the eco-organisation of the Clothing Textile, Household Linen and Footwear Sector.

Participation in the European pilot project to establish a common  multicriteria calculation method for products' (t-shirts) carbon footprint. Member of the technical secretariat with different stakeholders, in particular ADEME, the French Ministry of the Environment, OFEV (Swiss Federal Office for the Environment), brands (Promod, Pimkie, Okaïdi,...) and manufacturers (Les Tissages de Charlieu, TAD).

Decathlon joined the BCI (Better Cotton Initiative) in January 2012. This non-profit-making association seeks to promote the development of better cotton throughout the world, to create a sustainable commodity that is better for those producing it, better for the environment it is grown in, and better for the future of the sector as a whole.

Decathlon participates in the “2020 Commitment” initiative of the Global Fashion Agenda, which brings together companies that have committed themselves to taking concrete measures for the circular economy. Decathlon has made the following commitment: “By 2020, all of our engineers and designers will be trained on circular design principles to improve recyclability, repairability and reuse”.

Since March 2019, Decathlon has sat on the Board of Directors of “P le Eco-conception”, the French national centre for eco-design and performance through the life cycle. Founded in 2008, this centre aims to support the development of sustainable consumption and production patterns. “P le Eco-conception” assists Decathlon in the eco-design of its products and implementation strategies.

*OFEV: Swiss federal office for the environment

The Plastic Leak Project (PLP) deals in plastic leakages and was launched by the sustainable development consulting firm Quantis and EA, the centre of environmental management & CSR. It aims to contribute to global efforts to combat plastic pollution. The multi-stakeholder initiative plans to draw up methodology and metrics guidebooks to locate, measure and map out plastic and microplastic pollution in the value chain, in order to define effective action to find a solution to plastic leakages into the environment

The Microfiber Consortium (TMC) is a non-profit association that enables a multi-stakeholder approach. This consortium facilitates the development of practical solutions for the textile industry to minimise fibre fragmentation and release into the environment from textile manufacturing and the life cycle of the product.

RE100 is a global initiative created by The Climate Group and launched at the UN Climate Summit in New York in 2014. This initiative aims to involve, support and promote companies that are committed to 100% use of renewable energy (including biomass, geothermal, solar, wind and tidal energy).

The Science Based Target initiative brings businesses together to help them scientifically reinforce their efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy. The Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), UN Global Compact, World Resources Institute (WRI), World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and players from the We Mean Coalition are all part of this approach. The SBT initiative identifies and highlights good practices for setting out steps to reduce CO2, it provides the means to carry out this goal, and scientifically and independently approves the business trajectories.

The ACT - Assessing low Carbon Transition® initiative was developed by ADEME and CDP to assess the climate strategies of companies. As part of the UNFCCC's Action Agenda, the initiative provides methods for assessing the alignment of a company's strategy with a low-carbon pathway that is appropriate for its activities in view of the sector in which it operates. Based on verifiable company data, some 20 indicators
provide a holistic assessment of the company's strategy. These assessments are conducted in a fully transparent manner by independent third parties, ensuring complete neutrality.
Decathlon participated in trials in 2016 and conducted its ACT assessment in 2020:

The Net Zero Initiative project, launched in June 2018 and led by the consultancy firm Carbone 4, in collaboration with ten pioneering companies, and supported by a scientific council, has published its reference standards for contributions by organisations to carbon neutrality. This document provides a common language for all players wishing to steer their climate action in a sincere, ambitious and transparent manner for the purpose of achieving global net zero emissions, coherently with existing instruments and methodologies. Decathlon has been a partner of the initiative since 2020, with the aim of adopting a method that will enable it to define and achieve Net Zero in view of the climate emergency.

Initiated by the UN Climate Change in 2018, the Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Change is attracting a growing number of major players in fashion and textile. There are currently 48 signatories who have committed to defining an objective to reduce their CO2 emissions and work collaboratively to deliver the goals set out in the Paris agreements in order for the whole industry to move forward.

The Fashion Pact is a global coalition of companies in the fashion and textile industry (ready-to-wear, sport, lifestyle and luxury) including their suppliers and distributors, all committed to a common core of key environmental goals in three areas: to stop global warming, restore biodiversity and protect the oceans. Launched as a mission given to Fran ois-Henri Pinault, the Kering CEO, by French President Emmanuel Macron, the Fashion Pact was presented to heads of state at the G7 summit in Biarritz on 26 August 2019.

“Companies committed to nature - act4nature France" is an initiative led by the Office Français de la Biodiversité [French Office for Biodiversity (OFB)], which aims to set companies in action regarding biodiversity using a continuous improvement approach Decathlon has joined this network which aims to exchange best practices, encourage companies to strive upwards and improve ambitions on this matter. Decathlon signed its commitment in February 2020 and expects to submit its strategy in January 2021.

Decathlon has become a member of ORÉE, an association created in 1992 which has been federating and animating a network of players for over 20 years. It has a mandate to represent France at the CBD (Convention on Biological Diversity). ORÉE is Decathlon's external consultant for biodiversity through Hélène Leriche, (Head of Biodiversity-Economy at ORÉE). Through this network, Decathlon also has access to peer-to-peer exchange groups to form a common voice in dealing with institutions and economic players.

Decathlon has joined the B4B+ club run by CDC Biodiversité, a subsidiary of Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations (French Loans and Consignments Fund). The aim of this subsidiary is to develop tools to assess financial portfolios in order to identify their impact on biodiversity. Decathlon has been trained by CDC Biodiversité and uses their GBS (Global Biodiversity Score) tool to identify which of the company's activities are under the most pressure and thus prioritise its actions. CDC Biodiversité also assists Decathlon regarding a critical review of its biodiversity survey.

Technical support for Decathlon’s Human Responsibility in Production and Supplier Environmental Management assessments (conducting of audits, wastewater samples and analyses).

Member of an advisory committee (with representatives from national contact points, businesses, the European Commission, multistakeholder initiatives, NGOs and unions) to draft a guide on due diligence in the textile and footwear industries.

The Mekong Club is an NGO catalyst for change, engaging the private sector in the fight against modern slavery.

Apprise is a tool for detecting vulnerable populations and is able to identify situations of forced labour. It has been tested by Decathlon in 5 Asian countries during RHP audits, to identify potential signs of forced or bonded labour among migrant workers.

Impactt is an NGO specialising in improving work conditions and increasing productivity in global supply chains. Impactt’s method is beneficial for brands, production sites as well as employees. In 2020, Decathlon collaborated with Impactt to conduct targeted audits on forced labour.

Decathlon began collaborating with the private organisation AII (Apparel Impact Institute) in 2020, to launch the “Clean by Design” project. This international programme calls on mass retailers and fashion brands to take responsibility for the environmental impact of their factories overseas by focusing on the textile dyeing and finishing process.

The World Resources Institute (WRI) is a global research organisation with more than 1,000 experts who turn innovative ideas into action at the crossroads of the environment, economy and human well-being. Decathlon and the WRI share the same objective and vision on people and the planet. With Decathlon's strong position in the sports industry and the WRI's expertise, this partnership will not only benefit Decathlon, but will also support the transformation of the sports equipment industry.

Founded in 2013, Labour Solutions, a social enterprise, uses technology to facilitate the mobilisation of low-income workers by offering tools that aim to contribute to their well-being. Decathlon is currently running two pilot projects in India and Vietnam using the WOVO application, developed by Labour Solutions to roll out surveys among workers.

Sustainable Textile Solutions, a member of BluWin, offers tailor-made consultancy, auditing and training programmes on the chemical safety of textiles. The aim is to foster understanding, communication, monitoring and improvement of the effectiveness of the strategies of brands, retailers and industrial partners in order to produce textiles that are more environmentally friendly and better for health and safety.

ZDHC is a foundation that aims to support the textile and footwear industry in using safer chemicals for a cleaner planet and a better future. Decathlon is not a member of ZDHC but regularly participates in the events and meetings it organises. In 2020, Decathlon collaborated with ZDHC on the key issue of dimethylformamide substitution in the production of laminated textile components.

SCIVERA is a company that aims to guarantee and also intensify the use of safer chemicals by suppliers. Thanks to its platform, Decathlon has access to thousands of chemical risk assessments, allowing it to identify chemicals of concern, predict future regulated substances, and evaluate the safest alternatives for people and the environment.

In order to promote the use of more sustainable products in the chemical industry, GoBlu International Ltd (accelerator for sustainable development solutions) has developed “BHive®", an innovative tool to digitise the chemical management process and create greater transparency in the supply chain. In 2020, DECATHLON tested the BHive® tool in 40 factories in 6 different countries and, in view of the positive
results, has decided to continue the BHive® experiment in 2021, focusing first on textile and footwear production.

Verisk MapleCroft is a British consulting firm specialising in the analysis of political, economic, social and environmental risks on an international scale. Thanks to the associated data and analyses on these subjects, it enables companies to better anticipate, identify and manage the risks they face in their activities.

Sharing scientific knowledge about chemicals used in production processes and about emerging risks, in order to define Decathlon’s future areas of work.

The AFIRM group is an international working group composed of leading brands in the textile, footwear and sports goods industry that works to harmonize the chemical requirements of products. Decathlon is participating in the development of a common list of prohibited substances; this list is available for use by all the brands.

The course of the “Groupe d’Etude et de Recherche en Dermato-Allergo” (GERDA) is the annual meeting of dermato-allergology in France. Decathlon participates in order to share scientific knowledge on the chemicals used in production processes and to reduce the risk of allergy among users of Decathlon products

Decathlon joined the INR (Responsible Digital Institute) when it was founded in 2019. The INR is a think tank created to carry on from Club Green IT. The INR is a place to reflect on the issues surrounding the digital world: footprint calculation (economic, social and environmental), impact reduction and the creation of social value to successfully manage everyone’s e-inclusion. In 2019, the Responsible Digital leader at Decathlon obtained the eco-design certification for digital services, which indicates a certain level of expertise regarding methodology, and good practices in this discipline.