New partnership to promote climate action.

Women’s Team AG Insurance - Soudal Quick-Step Team, Men’s World Tour Team Soudal Quick-Step and Soudal Quick-Step Men’s Development team join forces with South Pole in climate change initiative

Brussels, 27th of June 2023 – AG Insurance - Soudal Quick-Step and South Pole are pleased to announce their partnership. For almost half a decade South Pole assists Soudal Quick-Step in calculating its CO2 footprint and helped the team undertake a number of carbon reduction measures and contribute to financing climate projects around the world. This cooperation will now expand further. Starting from July 2023 South Pole will partner up with all the teams under the umbrella of Decolef: our Women’s team AG Insurance - Soudal Quick-Step Team, the Men’s World Tour Team and Soudal Quick-Step Men’s Development team.

South Pole, as a leading climate project developer and sustainability solutions provider, will lead the next step by guiding sustainability initiatives across the three teams’ operations, by calculating the CO2 footprint, setting up new goals to reduce the carbon footprint of the teams and financing climate projects.

In addition, Decolef will champion South Pole’s new ‘Funding climate action’ label and raise awareness on the urgent need to scale climate finance, to fund climate protection projects and to accelerate the transition towards a low-carbon future, while ensuring a just transition for all. Both South Pole and Decolef are convinced that this partnership will drive sustainability within the cycling industry and beyond..

Speaking of the partnership Renat Heuberger, CEO of South Pole, said, "Taking climate action is as much about creating lives that are more healthy, efficient and fun, as it is about reducing our carbon emissions - we have so much to gain from rebalancing our relationship with the planet. That's why we are delighted to partner with this Decolef, to leverage the power of cycling in order to raise awareness and drive climate action. Cycling is a sport of human grit and endurance. This collaboration is a perfect example of how we can harness the power of cycling to tackle the monumental challenge in front of us. By shifting gears on sustainability, Soudal Quick-Step, AG Insurance – Soudal Quick-Step and Soudal Quick-Step Devo Team are demonstrating extraordinary climate leadership and we look forward to an impactful partnership."

This was echoed by Patrick Lefevere, CEO of Decolef, who said, "We recognise that for the future of our sport to flourish, we must ensure the future of our natural surroundings. Combining our passion for cycling and the environment, we aim to amplify our collective voice and raise awareness about the urgent need to address climate change and strive to inspire others to join the movement for 'Funding Climate Action'. South Pole's leadership and expertise in driving climate impact for all make them an ideal partner for our team not only to address our own climate impact, but to ignite a transformative shift in attitudes and behaviours across the globe and remind everyone that it all starts with us."

About Decolef

Founded in 2003, Decolef is the parent organisation of the world-famous Soudal Quick-Step professional cycling team. An international team with its heart in Belgium, Soudal Quick-Step has taken over 900 victories, more than any other professional team, with victories coming in a variety of races, from the one-day classics to grand tours, and beyond. The Decolef stable has grown over the last year, with the AG Insurance - Soudal Quick-Step Women’s team and the Soudal Quick-Step Devo team all joining the fold. 

This initiative is also an excellent match with the unique concept of our women’s team. Where with our pyramidal structure, built in 3 layers or rather 3 teams, namely U19, U23 and elite, we are committed to the growth and support of young riders. With this structure we want to invest in the future of all our riders, starting with the youth. In this collaboration we not only want to lay the foundations for the development of their cycling careers, but also make a major contribution to a better future and thus invest in our planet. Through this collaboration we also want to make our youngest riders already aware of the importance of our climate and also strengthen the values of our women's cycling team.

About South Pole

South Pole, a social enterprise recognised by the World Economic Forum's Schwab Foundation, is today the world's leading climate solutions provider and carbon project developer. Since its creation in 2006, it has developed over 850 projects in over 50 countries that have helped reduce over 200 million metric tonnes of CO2 emissions, and provide social benefits to communities who are particularly vulnerable to climate change. Projects range from sustainable agriculture, forest conservation, waste management, to energy efficiency and decentralized renewable energy. South Pole also advises thousands of leading companies on their sustainability journeys to achieve net-zero emissions. With its global Climate Solutions platform,

South Pole develops and implements comprehensive strategies that turn climate action into long-term business opportunities for companies, governments and organizations around the world. South Pole is committed to becoming a B Corp globally across all of its local entities, building on its existing B Corp certification in Australia, the U.S, the Netherlands, and Germany.