Engaging a global retail workforce around meaningful causes

IKKS is an international fashion group with teams spread across multiple countries, from headquarters to retail stores. The challenge was to create unifying moments around causes that truly matter to the brand.

Teamupp was deployed to run two major campaigns: Breast Cancer Awareness and “Better June,” a month focused on sustainability and employee wellness.

Elizabeth Sénécaille

CSR Director, IKKS Group

Teamupp helped us spotlight the causes that matter most to IKKS and bring them to life across our teams. Thanks to connected challenges, distance no longer separates us — our network came together on a European scale.

IKKS: Born in France, loved around the world

Founded in 1987, IKKS is a French “prêt-à-porter” brand that began as a kids’ brand and evolved into a contemporary fashion house for all ages.

Today, IKKS runs a global retail network and an online store serving customers across France, Benelux, the UK, with some offices located in China and Ukraine.

IKKS also runs its own sustainability program, “Act for Better,” with concrete, measurable goals that include:

• A 30% reduction in carbon footprint (vs. 2019)
  
• More responsible sourcing and stronger traceability
  

Long-term sustainability goals integrated into every stage of production

Bringing global teams together around shared purpose

With more than 1,800 employees spread across multiple countries, IKKS wanted to create inclusive, measurable moments of collective engagement around the issues that matter most — from social impact to sustainability.

Their goals:

• Connect employees across stores and headquarters through shared, meaningful causes — even from a distance
  
• Strengthen communication and collaboration across countries and departments
  

Build awareness around key topics such as breast cancer prevention, climate action, and employee wellbeing

Elizabeth Sénécaille

CSR Director, IKKS Group

These connected challenges helped us break down borders and feel closer as one team. During ‘Better June,’ our teams in Spain and Benelux joined the effort — that sense of connection was incredibly rewarding.

A tailored digital experience that connects teams and brings company values to life

IKKS launched two high-energy, two-week campaigns engaging its 1,800 employees worldwide:

• Pink October: Raising breast cancer awareness through a step challenge (where every step counted toward a donation to an NGO), themed quizzes, and curated learning content.
  
• Better June: Promoting sustainability and employee wellness with eco-friendly challenges, educational content, and cross-country collaboration.
  

Teams were structured to reflect IKKS’s organization — corporate departments (HR, purchasing, etc.) and regional retail zones — ensuring every employee could take part.

Communication was tailored for each audience (HQ, French stores, international stores), with personalized messages, reminders, and updates that kept momentum and engagement high throughout both campaigns.

All content was designed to reflect IKKS’s commitments and values:

• A step challenge built around a collective goal (e.g., 3 million steps = a donation to charity)
  
• Internal resources integrated directly into the app to reinforce a shared culture
  
• Industry-specific quizzes that connected learning to the day-to-day world of fashion and retail

Visible, shared engagement across the entire organization

• Cross-functional energy. From stores to headquarters, teams got involved with genuine enthusiasm — sparking friendly competition, collaboration, and real team spirit.
  
• Global cohesion. Employees across continents shared meaningful moments, strengthening their sense of connection and belonging to the IKKS community.
  
• Stronger visibility for CSR. The “steps = donation” format turned social and environmental commitments into something concrete, measurable, and inspiring.
  
• Cultural alignment. Tailored communications encouraged open dialogue across countries and departments, while the learning content deepened understanding of key topics.
  
• Continuous learning. The initiative raised awareness around breast cancer, climate action, and employee wellbeing — embedding IKKS’s values into everyday work life.