"Sport plays a fundamental role in our everyday wellbeing. Enjoying movement and staying active are essential to feeling good, both physically and mentally, while also creating connections between people. That is precisely why, at Decathlon, our mission is clear: to break down the barriers to sport, bring people together, and make wellbeing accessible to everyone.

At Decathlon, creativity, an entrepreneurial spirit and the courage to try are fundamental human qualities that make us stronger. This drive to innovate has been part of our DNA since we began in 1976. It comes to life through products that have genuinely changed people’s everyday lives. From the 2 Seconds tent and the Easybreath mask to the Rollnet and, more recently, an electronic airbag, every invention has been designed to make life simpler and physical activity more enjoyable.

But innovation is not just about inventing new products. It is also about reimagining the way people experience sport, inspiring everyone to get moving. Our real challenge is to adapt to real life : to every body, every age and every ability. Sport should adapt to people, not the other way around.

To turn the right ideas into reality, we rely on our greatest strength: our People. Innovation is part of the DNA of all our 103,000 teammates, with 1,700 women and men whose daily mission is to innovate. At Decathlon, innovation is first and foremost a deeply collective adventure, driven by passionate teams. Its strength comes from working together, bringing different disciplines into conversation and combining diverse, highly specialised expertise, from designers and engineers to scientists and sports experts.

And this energy knows no borders. By collaborating across many countries, our teams learn from their differences and inspire one another. It is this mosaic of talent, united by a shared passion, that enables us to imagine the solutions of tomorrow. Working hand in hand, they share one ambition: to put creativity and common sense at the service of everyone’s wellbeing."

Sébastien Dollet
Head of Global Innovation, Decathlon International