Translations

With Shareathlon, Share & Smile and Decathlon are developing a solidarity-based sports equipment lending service between employees.

4. Environment

Sector

Year 2025

Country France

Transmitter

Context

Shareathlon is a platform developed by Share and Smile, a mission-driven company committed to promoting a more sustainable, solidarity-based, and circular economy. Inspired by the sharing economy model, Shareathlon facilitates the free lending and borrowing of sports equipment between individuals, in order to make better use of idle resources, reduce occasional purchases, and promote access to sports for all.

Born from a personal need (to practice sports without having to buy expensive equipment), the platform was conceived by Clément Hostache, a former Decathlon employee and founder of Share & Smile. From the outset, the ambition was clear: to rely on Decathlon’s internal network to test this model in a professional setting.

For the past three years, Shareathlon has been piloted within Decathlon’s logistics warehouse in Lompret, in the Hauts-de-France region.

Objectives

Limit the purchase of new equipment through a peer-to-peer lending system among colleagues.
Offer a solidarity-based and eco-friendly service for employees.
Test a model that can be replicated in other Decathlon sites, and potentially beyond.
Foster social connections within the company through a culture of trust and sharing.

APPROACH

Initially, the project started with a “top-down” approach: the warehouse made second-hand products from stock or the second-life program available. A team of six employees was formed to handle requests, prepare orders, and provide technical support.

Soon, the need to make the initiative more participative became evident. In 2024, a new phase was launched with the opening of the platform to peer-to-peer lending between employees. Around ten staff members were trained on this new feature and began listing their own products.

A simple and intuitive interface allows employees to borrow items in just a few clicks. An internal contract system has been implemented to formalize exchanges, even though the Terms of Use are legally sufficient. An annual inventory helps adjust stock levels and introduce newer items, such as electric bikes or camping gear, which are in high demand. Textiles are excluded due to the lack of a cleaning solution.

Shareathlon also enables employees to test products before buying them, reinforcing the warehouse’s role as an ambassador for Decathlon brands.

Following the success in Lompret, Shareathlon is now being tested in other logistics warehouses. The company is currently in discussions with a major French retailer to potentially roll out the initiative across all its warehouses in France.

CONTRIBUTION TO COMPANY PERFORMANCE

User satisfaction: 4.87/5 (2024 survey).
Expansion of the stock and diversification of the offer according to employees’ needs.
Improvement of the employee experience through a free and practical service.
Reduction of unnecessary purchases and better reuse of second-life products.

Benefits

Fewer new purchases = less waste and CO₂ emissions.
Strengthening of social bonds between employees through a trust-based system.
Commitment to a responsible consumption approach focused on use rather than ownership.
Experimentation with a model that can be replicated nationally, and potentially beyond.