adidas Group running shoes rated best by European consumer organisations regarding corporate responsibility issues
Herzogenaurach, 10 June 2009 – In a running shoe test by nine leading European consumer organisations published in May, the adidas Group obtained the best rating of all participating companies in managing corporate responsibility issues. This result confirms once again the performance and transparency of the adidas Group.
Under the leadership of the International Consumer Research & Testing (ICRT) organisation, nine European consumer organisations – including the German institution STIFTUNG WARENTEST – carried out a comprehensive research project about the social and environmental production context of running shoes from different brands, including adidas and Reebok.
As part of this testing project, five different running shoes from brands adidas and Reebok - adiStar Salvation, adiStar Ride, adidas Duramo, Reebok Premier Trinity KFS III and Reebok Premier Ultra KFS – were chosen for the analysis and evaluation of functionality, quality and material safety of the product. Furthermore, the working conditions at the footwear suppliers and its sole factories in China as well as the overall corporate responsibility performance of the adidas Group were investigated and assessed with the best evaluation ‘very committed’.
In recent years, consumer organisations have increasingly focused on corporate responsibility.aspxects of companies in product manufacturing. The excellent rating of the adidas Group related to labour, health, safety and environmental conditions in the manufacturing process is the result of an in-depth evaluation by ICRT and the independent monitoring organisation ENGAGED which reveals the consistent performance of the adidas Group and its suppliers.
During the evaluation process, the adidas Group provided detailed information about its social and environmental programmes and initiatives, the selected products and its footwear suppliers Yue Yuen Co. Ltd. and Fuluh Corp. in China. Part of the rating approach was the external validation and verification of information that was submitted. Verification audits, including management and worker interviews, were conducted at the two footwear suppliers and their sole factories in China.
You can find more information in the press release of STIFTUNG WARENTEST (German): http://www.test.de/presse/pressemitteilungen/Laufschuhe-Billigschuhe-weit-abgeschlagen-1782203-0/