Dove, the world's largest provider of self-esteem and body confidence education, has teamed up with Nike, the biggest champion of athletes and sports to launch the Body Confident Sport online coaching programme. 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.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.Working in partnership with Dove, Venus Williams, tennis champion and entrepreneur, commented: "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.""We know that sports offer girls enormous benefits," says Gold Medal Olympic Gymnast Laurie Hernandez. "Coaches and athletes alike have a collective responsibility to create inclusive spaces and positive experiences that give all girls an opportunity to discover the power of sports. Sports fuels confidence, which in turn enables girls to enjoy a lifetime of moving and playing the sports they love. This is why I'm so proud to team up with Nike to support Body Confident Sport."Girls who participate in physical activity, and stay with it through adolescence, are more likely to have higher body confidence and experience benefits throughout their lives. However, NEW research from Dove and Nike reveals 45% of teenage girls globally drop out of sports, at twice the rate of boys, with low body confidence as the biggest driver. When girls reach adolescence, they experience significant changes to their bodies. As girls move and play sports, this can leave them feeling exposed and vulnerable to judgement for what their bodies can and can't do, but also how they look. The Body Confident Sport 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 program builds on Nike's and Dove's longstanding 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. 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," says Alessandro Manfredi, Chief Marketing Officer, Dove."Nike believes all kids should have an opportunity to play, and we're focused on expanding play and sports for girls who are moving the least," says Vanessa Garcia-Brito, VP, Chief Social & Community Impact Officer, Nike, Inc. "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 sports and experience the benefits – we believe we're creating the next generation of female leaders and changemakers who will move the world forward," adds Vanessa.
