The Secretary of State for the Environment and Vice-President of the Biodiversity Foundation, Federico Ramos, the Director of the Autonomous Agency of National Parks (OAPN), Basilio Rada, and the President and CEO of Decathlon Spain, Michel D’Humieres, have signed a collaboration agreement to publicise the resources of the National Parks, as part of their policy of commitment to the Environment and the implementation of initiatives to reduce environmental impact.

The Secretary of State for the Environment and Vice-President of the Biodiversity Foundation, Federico Ramos, the Director of the Autonomous Agency of National Parks (OAPN), Basilio Rada, and the President and CEO of Decathlon Spain, Michel D’Humieres, have signed a collaboration agreement to publicise the resources of the National Parks, as part of their policy of commitment to the environment and the implementation of initiatives to reduce environmental impact.

The agreement signed is part of one of the main activities of the Biodiversity Foundation, the promotion of the protection and conservation of the natural, cultural, social, historical-artistic, educational, recreational, environmental, anthropological, ethnological or scientific values of natural spaces, especially those related to the Network of National Parks of Spain and Biosphere Reserves.

The signing of the agreement took place at the main Decathlon store, in the Madrid town of San Sebastián de los Reyes, and the event was attended by the Director General of Environmental Quality and Assessment and the Natural Environment, Guillermina Yanguas, and the Director of the Biodiversity Foundation, Sonia Castañeda. This collaboration will remain in force until December 31, 2014 and is open to establishing future extensions.

With this agreement, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and the Environment – through the Autonomous National Parks Agency and the Biodiversity Foundation – and the company Decathlon join forces to promote the Network of National Parks through outdoor activities, seeking the involvement of customers and workers to promote and disseminate its natural values through the 100 shopping centres that Decathlon currently has in Spain.

Likewise, from now on and as part of this dissemination commitment, the 15-use bags, available to customers, will incorporate a message about the National Parks Network and the conservation of biodiversity. This is an action developed within the policy of reducing the consumption of plastic bags carried out by Decathlon. Training courses will also be organised for Decathlon staff and clients to improve knowledge of the National Parks Network.

During the signing of the agreement, Decathlon wanted to join the Spanish Business and Biodiversity Initiative, launched by the Biodiversity Foundation, and which is committed to promoting, together with the business sector, economic development compatible with the conservation of biodiversity. This initiative seeks to facilitate a solid framework of cooperation between large companies and the General State Administration. With this, there are now 16 large companies that have signed the Pact for Biodiversity.

You can see all the images of the signing ceremony of the agreement by clicking here.