Decathlon and the Royal Spanish Hockey Federation have sealed an agreement to promote the hiring of people with intellectual disabilities. The initiative kicks off in 13 stores in the province of Barcelona, including the one in Sant Cugat del Vallès.
The Decathlon store in Sant Cugat del Vallès is one of the 13 in the Barcelona area that will participate in a pioneering employment inclusion programme for people with intellectual disabilities. The agreement, signed between the sports multinational and the Royal Spanish Hockey Federation (Hockey Spain), aims to adapt selection processes and provide support to facilitate integration into work teams.
In this first phase, hiring will focus on establishments in the province of Barcelona, which include, in addition to Sant Cugat, those in Sant Boi, Rambles, Diagonal Mar, L'illa, La Maquinista, Badalona, Mollet del Vallès, Esplugues, Gran Vía, Terrassa, Sabadell, and Gràcia. The goal is to extend the programme to other Spanish cities once the model is consolidated.
The agreement stipulates that Decathlon will publish its job offers on an accessible portal and adapt selection processes to ensure they are inclusive. For its part, Hockey Spain will disseminate the vacancies among its athletes and clubs, identifying the most suitable profiles for each position. Selected individuals will receive training and ongoing support during their onboarding.
Chema García, Zone Leader for Barcelona at Decathlon Spain, emphasized that the initiative is not a one-off gesture but aims to integrate inclusive hiring into the daily operations of the stores. "Sports and employment must be accessible. We have the support of the federation to ensure each integration is a success," he stated.
María San Emeterio, Corporate Social Responsibility Manager at Decathlon Spain, added that diversity is the starting point that enriches the company culture and connects with the communities where they operate. "This agreement consolidates our CSR and DEI strategy, demonstrating that when we remove barriers, we all win," she noted.
From Hockey Spain, Laura Márquez, head of Hockey+ and Hockey Social, expressed her enthusiasm for the agreement, which she considers a powerful tool for inclusion. "Our athletes will have more opportunities to access the job market, develop their autonomy, and showcase their talent beyond the playing field," she explained.
The initiative is part of Decathlon's social responsibility strategy, which has already developed similar programmes in other countries. In Spain, the company has over 150 stores and a diverse workforce, and now seeks to strengthen the presence of people with disabilities in its teams.
For the residents of Sant Cugat and the other involved municipalities, the agreement represents a real job opportunity for a group that often faces barriers in the job market. Interested individuals can check the offers on Decathlon's job portal, where the requirements and the adapted selection process will be detailed.
The programme will start in the coming weeks, once the profiles have been defined and the human resources teams have been trained. The collaboration between both entities includes quarterly follow-ups to evaluate results and adjust the model before its expansion to other provinces.
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