Corporate responsibility strategy
As a leading company within the international sporting goods market, the adidas Group is exposed to various business challenges and interests of stakeholders. Aligning those interests requires strong commitment, strategic direction, efficient and careful execution, and regular reflection of the achievements made.
Corporate responsibility (CR) has become a widely accepted concept in striking the balance between business needs and societal and environmental demands. This is what it is to be a 'sustainable business'.
There is no 'one size fits all' solution to achieve this stage. Every company - depending on the nature of its business - needs to develop its own approach for responding to changes in the economy, society and the environment. So it is for the adidas Group too.
Our commitment in managing our business in a responsible way is rooted in the Group's values and principles. Our understanding of becoming a sustainable company is outlined in the adidas Group Sustainability Statement:
These are the adidas Group values.
They help us to create brands that our customers believe in and they commit us to playing by the rules that society expects of a responsible company.
Unlike sport, society's rules are not always written down. We discover them by engaging with the people that our business touches, learning above all that companies are expected to be accountable for their actions. So we are committed to reporting publicly on the steps we take to have a more positive impact on society and the planet.
For the adidas Group, this means designing products that are environmentally sound, and reducing the environmental impacts of our day-to-day operations and in our supply chain.
It is about setting workplace standards for our suppliers to meet and helping them to ensure fair, safe and healthy conditions in their factories.
Importantly, it also means looking after the wellbeing and careers of our employees - the company's biggest asset - and making a positive contribution to the communities where we operate.
Adhering to all applicable laws, directives and guidelines is a business imperative. But that is not enough. We are continuously striving to improve our performance and our standing in society. We set ourselves targets that stretch us, regularly review our progress and set ourselves new goals. That is what the world's leading athletes do, and it is what we must do as a global leader in the sporting goods industry.