Michelin would never have become a leader without its
involvement in sports. With the invention of the removable
bicycle tire in 1891 (which enabled Charles Terront to win
the first race in which the Group took part), the brothers
Edouard and André Michelin pointed their young company in a
new direction and integrated the values of sports into
Michelin's DNA, where they endure to this day.
The worlds of sports and business share the same core
values of performance, self-betterment, perseverance, team
spirit and sharing. Sports and the enterprise has been a
key theme throughout the history of Michelin, which this
year is celebrating the 100th anniversary of ASM, the
multisport association founded by Marcel Michelin.
Michelin's partnership with ASM is in fact the
world's oldest corporate sports sponsorship
alliance.
Showcasing the anniversary of this ongoing, unprecedented
partnership, the first International Symposium provides an
opportunity to examine more closely the objectives shared
by the sports and business communities. "Michelin's
purpose in organizing the event is to bring together
companies, high-level athletes, public officials and
academics to debate and discuss the ties between the worlds
of sports and business, with the goal of sharing
information and exchanging ideas," says Claire
Dorland Clauzel, Senior Vice President, Michelin
Communication and Brands, and a member of the Group
Executive Council. "We know how important it is to
gather differing viewpoints and experiences if we want to
move forward and bring about change in attitudes and
behavior. We have chosen three themes that are of special
interest to the Group: Sports and Innovation, Sports and
Management, and Sports and Corporate Social
Responsibility."
Sports and Innovation:
A major player in automotive sports, Michelin got involved
in car racing as a means of fostering innovation. This
involvement extends over the years from the removable tire
to the Michelin Pilot Super Sport tire, which benefits from
technologies developed for races like the 24 Hours of Le
Mans. How can a company take full advantage of its
involvement in competitive sports? And how does this
involvement impact its work methods and the performance of
its teams and products?
Sports and Management:
Sports and sportsmen have entered the corporate management
scene through team-building seminars. However, at Michelin,
sports are more than a management tool that is used from
time to time. They are part of the Group's corporate
culture. Michelin faces the constant challenge of leading
its 111,000 employees worldwide to success. This can only
be achieved if every employee feels respected and valued.
No matter what position they play, all the members of a
team contribute to its performance. Top-quality leadership
skills are also essential, at every level of the Company.
The qualities Michelin expects of its managers include the
ability to lead their team to success, good strategic
skills, the ability to inspire confidence and trust, and an
ethical approach. It's easy to draw a parallel with
ASM's rugby team, which could not have triumphed in
2010 without a supportive captain, strategic allies and an
effective game strategy.
Sports and Corporate Social
Responsibility:
For Michelin, sports also enable the Company to demonstrate
its commitment to corporate social responsibility. In 1911,
Michelin created the ASM sports association as a way of
promoting education and integration. Today, the sports
facilities developed by Michelin benefit a broad public,
not only in Clermont-Ferrand but around the world. They
enable young people to learn the values they need to
integrate into society and into the workforce through
sports. They also allow people who live near Michelin
plants to take part in sports. Michelin intends to pursue
this path, perpetuating and strengthening the cooperative
ventures it has forged with sports organizations for the
past 100 years.
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