Dove and Nike team up to build body confidence programme for girls

Dove, a long-standing champion of body confidence in women, has teamed up with sports giant Nike on an online coaching programme to keep teenage girls participating in sport. Tennis star and entrepreneur Venus Williams has been signed up to support the Body Confident Sport initiative.

Research from Dove and Nike has revealed that 57% of girls aged 12 drop out of sport, twice the rate of boys the same age. Body confidence is cited as the main driver for drop-outs.

The Body Confident Sport programme has been designed to girls and young people of all gender identities feel more comfortable being active and participating in sport, with the aim to "empower coaches and athletes around the world to celebrate the truly amazing things active bodies can do".

A look at the research that has emerged from the UK specifically reveals:

• At 12, girls are dropping out of sport at x2 the rate of boys
• 53% of girls dropping out of sport were mocked, criticised and bullied because of their body size
• 53% of girls dropping out of sport were objectified, sexualised and judged for their appearance
• 73% of girls say their coach was the reason they felt more confident

Venus Williams, who has amassed seven Grand Slam titles and four Olympic gold medals among other accolades in her career said: “In sports, girls often face a tremendous amount of pressure – not just around performance and abilities, but also because of unrealistic expectations around their appearances.

"I am excited to be working with Dove on this initiative to help nurture girls’ self-belief and confidence, foster a positive environment, and shift the conversation from appearance to capability. Our shared goal is to make sports a more inclusive, welcoming space for girls everywhere.”

Venus Williams is supporting the campaign

Body Confident Sport is a first-of-its-kind, scientifically-proven set of coaching tools to build body confidence in 11–17-year-old girls.

Coaches can be powerful role models to create a positive environment for girls in sport, one that prioritises self-esteem over performance. The researched revealed that 73% of girls say their coach was the reason they felt more confident and 61% of girls would be interested in hearing from coaches about body confidence education.

Co-developed by the two brands over the course of two years, in partnership with world-renowned experts, including the Centre for Appearance Research (CAR) and the Tucker Center for Research on Girls & Women in Sport, Body Confident Sport addresses new findings on how the sports environment impacts girls’ body confidence and self-esteem.

The online coaching tool is proven to reduce self-objectification and increase body-esteem and will be delivered through a global network of organisations in schools and sports clubs. The programme builds on Nike’s and Dove’s commitments to support girls and aims to reach more than one million young people around the world.

“Since 2004, Dove has been working to arm the next generation with tools to build body confidence and self-esteem so that no young person is held back. As the world’s leading provider of self-esteem and body confidence education for girls, we have a responsibility to support girls wherever their self-esteem is at stake. Sport has the potential to make girls feel confident and strong, yet for so many, the judgement and criticism they face within the sports environment is damaging their confidence and limiting their self-belief. We are proud to team up with a likeminded brand like Nike to take action towards a more equitable future for girls – on and off the field,” said Alessandro Manfredi, Chief Marketing Officer, Dove.

“Nike believes all kids should have an opportunity to play, and we’re focused on expanding play and sport for girls who are moving the least,” says Vanessa Garcia-Brito, VP, Chief Social & Community Impact Officer, Nike, Inc. “Globally, girls face complex cultural and social barriers, and they also enter sport later and drop out of sport earlier. Our partnership with Dove, and unique focus on coaching through body confidence, aims to change that. Together, we’re taking action to break barriers by providing coaches with the tools to empower girls with a lifetime of confidence. By shifting the conversation from what their bodies look like to what their bodies can do – so more girls can stay in sport and experience the benefits – we believe we’re creating the next generation of female leaders and changemakers who will move the world forward.”