Decathlon has announced a major expansion of its employee-ownership programme, enabling up to 34,000 additional employees to become shareholders in the company.
The initiative, called Decathlon Seed, is expected to increase the number of employee-shareholders from 56,000 to as many as 90,000 globally. The announcement comes as the sports retailer marks its 50th anniversary and seeks to strengthen employee participation in the company’s long-term growth.
Under the programme, eligible employees will receive an average allocation of €2,000 worth of company shares at no cost. The scheme is open to employees across retail, logistics, production and other functions, regardless of role or seniority.
To qualify, employees must have completed at least three months with the company at the time of the announcement and remain continuously employed until 16 June, 2029. The shares will vest after a three-year holding period, allowing employees to benefit from the company’s future performance.
The programme was reportedly developed through more than a year of collaboration involving its subsidiaries, local teams and family shareholders. The objective is to broaden wealth-creation opportunities for employees while promoting a culture of shared ownership across the organisation.
The value of the allocated shares will be linked to Decathlon’s business performance during the vesting period. As a result, employees will directly participate in the company’s growth and value-creation journey.
The expanded shareholding programme reflects a growing trend among global companies to use employee ownership as a tool for engagement, retention and long-term wealth creation.
