“Leadership au Féminin” by Décathlon

The “Leadership au féminin” initiative by Décathlon is a Women’s Leadership Training to accompany women in the construction of a personal and professional life path.

In practice it consists in a 3 days leadership training for women with dedicated career path and is organised as one day per month for three months.

This programme has been developed in 2013. The aim is to facilitate a patways for women into leadership position while helping them reflect on their professional and personal projects, their ambitions and their motivations, but also to reassure them that it is possible to have a career at Décathlon while having a fulfilling personal and family life.

Around 200 women participate to it every year. There is a strong sense of Alumni community for the participants who remain connected afterwards.

The Leadership au Féminin training is offered to “potentials”, i.e. women with at least 2 years of experience in a department manager position who are likely to evolve.
The first part is devoted to understanding the cultural issues of professional equality, the personal and professional life priorities of each employee, a 360° assessment and a personality test. The second part focuses on the creation of their professional project.

In particular the main topics are:

• Women’s place in society and women’s place in Decathlon
• Better self-awareness (personality test/360°, values, desires)
• Relationship to power, ambition, money.
• Self-marketing for a better promotion of oneself and one’s skills and qualities
• Awareness of sexism and harassment

The Leadership programme can be accompanied by a one-year mentorship for those who wish to do so and according to their career plans (10 mentorships per year). Mentoring can be mixed or between women, depending on their wishes, projects and passions-sport.

Our actions relies on:

• Digital network for men and women to exchange on company issues
• Innovative management with lots of collaboration and missions to realize (possibility to create and being an intrapreneur)
• Strong D&I Policy

=>Zero tolerance for deviant behaviours (sexism, harassment) from the CEO of the company and embedded into the whole company strategy (Training for men/Women to educate on this topic)

=>Parental leave favoured by the Top management)

We are aware of a real glass ceiling in the company for top management roles (8% women are Regional Director, 40% women in governing bodies, 12% women among process leaders and 7% women among countries directors).

This glass ceiling is due to:

• stereotypes/bias (ongoing changes through managerial innovation)

-stereotypes to recruit women (masculine culture)

-stereotypes in sports industry linkage (salary gap included)

-masculine team management (oriented performance and results)

• Life Balance

– Hard for women

• Work environment
• Self-censorship of women

-lack of confidence

-lack of models

Several action plans to move forward and empower women (in addition to the leadership programme quoted above): In partnership with social partners.

• Prevention campaign against sexism in companies. Developed game system (with red and yellow cards distributed to raise awareness against sexism. Give a framework to the game with rules. Both fun on the spirit of sport and educational for more respect in business.
• Better balance (personal/ professional life). Collaborative planning to involve all.
• Messages shared with leaders (RTT validation, etc.)

+ Other trainings :

• • Boost Elle (1 day). Available for all women who want to work on their posture, take new roles. Trainings on self-confidence, wills, etc.
  • Sexism and harassment (for all)
  • Succeed in work/life balance (for all)