The State of Organizations 2023 - Flipbook - Page 45
I am particularly proud to see how
Decathlon makes sport accessible to
millions of people around the world and
improves health and human connection. I
love seeing the great array of possibilities
that arise when you have cooperation
among teammates from 90 countries,
with different cultural backgrounds and
languages. We strive for diversity and
inclusion not only in our recruitment
processes but also in our product
research, design, and manufacturing
teams. We’re constantly looking for ways
to make our products more accessible to
all. For example, we’ve recently launched
a set of adaptive products for wheelchair
basketball and road racing, and we
regularly create products designed for
sportspeople with different body types,
such as our post-mastectomy sports
bras or maternity wear.
Social responsibility runs through our
very core. We believe our mission is to
create value not only for shareholders
but also for society and the planet.
Therefore, we have set our goals on
sustainability, financial performance,
and people to be at the same level of
importance, even at the bonus level. We
have global targets for CO2 emissions
reductions, and every single country
entity is committed to them. We also take
pride in our Ecodesign innovations, and
we’re building a truly circular economy
with our Second Life programs, trade-in
schemes, and rental services.
What will be the key to Decathlon’s
continued success in the future?
During these turbulent times, we’re
reemphasizing the importance of
remaining deeply focused on the people
at the center of our organization. We
need to make every teammate feel valued
and heard, ensure that the customer
is at the center of every decision we
make, and always keep an open mind to
new ideas and different perspectives,
especially if they challenge the “old” way
of doing things. This requires a culture of
psychological safety that allows people
to say what they really think. It’s easy
to become too comfortable in a certain
routine, methodology, or structure—but
the world is changing rapidly around us.
We have to stay agile to keep up.
For Decathlon, the future is bright as
we embark on a brave new journey. As
we fine-tune our focus and step up
our efforts in areas like our value chain,
customer experience, and sustainability,
one thing will remain at the heart of who
we are: our people. We thrive off the
talented individuals around us and we will
always use the entrepreneurial excellence
of our teammates to succeed and move
people through the wonders of sport.
More about
Barbara
Martin
Coppola
CEO of Decathlon
Barbara Martin Coppola joined
Decathlon in March 2022 with more
than 20 years of experience in four
different industries: semiconductors,
consumer electronics, retail, and pure
digital players.
Prior to Decathlon, Coppola was
chief digital officer at IKEA and had
overall responsibility for the group’s
digital transformation. Throughout
her career, she has held leading
positions in global businesses such
as Google, YouTube, Samsung, and
Texas Instruments in Europe, Japan,
South Korea, and the United States.
She has a strong customer focus
combined with marketing, digital,
and tech experience. Coppola has a
successful track record in growing and
transforming businesses.
‘We believe our mission is
to create value not only
for shareholders but also
for society and the planet.’
March 2023
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