Courir, from carbon footprint measurement to action

Founded in 1980, Courir has established itself as the benchmark for sneakers in France. With a positioning that is both fashionable and feminine and with over 280 stores in France and 327 in Europe, Courir has become the undisputed leader in sneaker fashion. Its slogan, "Share The Sneaker Spirit", reflects its commitment to sharing its passion for the sneaker, which transcends trends to become an inter-generational state of mind.

Sustainable development is a key concept for Courir, which guides its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) policy. For the group, it is essential to approach sustainable development as a prism through which they can design and implement social and environmental projects with a positive impact.

Courir chose to work with ClimatePartner mainly because of the GHG Protocol calculation method, which is adapted to their international scope and to future CSRD reporting standards. What's more, the support provided by ClimatePartner's team is part of a partnership and cooperative approach, as demonstrated throughout the project. In addition, ClimatePartner's expertise in the textile sector was also a valuable asset.

Understanding, controlling, committing

Courir's main challenge lies in its status as a retailer. As such, they do not directly manufacture the products they sell, but offer them to customers in their stores and on their website. As a result, the majority of their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions come from the manufacturing methods and energy mix of the countries where these products are made.

As Courir has limited control over the manufacture of these sneakers, measures to reduce their carbon footprint are limited. So, following a carbon footprint study, Courir set up a project to co-create its own pair of sneakers to understand and control the carbon emissions generated during their manufacture. For this ambitious project, Courir insisted that the sneakers be produced in Europe, and that part of the sole be made from recycled sneakers.

At the same time, Courir continues to carry out projects linked to the environment. This includes:

• sponsoring an association that promotes the reduction of plastic pollution in the most affected regions
• improving traceability by collecting the environmental characteristics of their brands' products (plastic microfibre, recycled material, country of manufacture) within the framework of the AGEC law (French anti-waste law)
• organising two waste collections a year for their employees
• and reducing their yearly energy consumption by 13%.