Professional Documents
Culture Documents
We started in a wash room and conquered the world. And in-between, we have scored big and also,
sometimes, struggled to reach our goals. We have done our best for the best. We have improved and
grown. Looking ahead to the future, always remembering where we came from. This is our story.
Every great story has a beginning. This one started in a small town in Bavaria, Germany. After first steps in his
mother’s wash kitchen, Adi Dassler registered the “Gebrüder Dassler Schuhfabrik” in 1924 and embarked on his
mission to provide athletes with the best possible equipment. Gold medals in Amsterdam (1928, Lina Radke)
and Berlin (1936, Jesse Owens) were first rewards and milestones – and only the start of our story.
FOUNDING FATHER
On August 18, 1949, Adi Dassler started over again at the age of 49, registered the “Adi Dassler adidas Sportschuhfabrik” and set to work with 47
employees in the small town of Herzogenaurach. On the same day, he registered a shoethat included the registration of the soon-to-become-famous
adidas 3-Stripes. From humble beginnings to a global success story – which was accelerated by a miracle …
A MIRACLE IN BERN
Who would have thought that screw-in-studs on lightweight football boots would help write history? When the German
national football team faced the unbeatable Hungarians in the 1954 World Cup final, they won so much more than just a
trophy. Their unbelievable victory would be heard around the world for decades to come. And it made adidas and its founder
a household name on football pitches everywhere.
"WHAT A DASSLER"
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REEBOK: A BROTHER-TO-BE, STILL MILES AWAY
Two brothers working together for the best of the athlete. Sounds familiar? Well this story started across the channel, miles
away from Herzogenaurach. While adidas continued to grow after its own 1954 miracle, two British men by the names of
Joe and Jeff Foster gave their grandfather’s company “J.W. Foster and Sons” (founded in 1895) a new name: Reebok. Keep
it in mind for now, we will get back to this later.
What’s in a name? Everything, when you name it after a “Kaiser”. When the Franz Beckenbauer tracksuit model celebrated
its debut, it became the first piece of apparel for adidas and opened a whole new business to a company that, so far, was
famous for shoes.
How do you consistently earn the trust of world-class athletes through the decades? Produce innovative products that make
them better for once. Adi Dassler’s secret to success had an additional personal ingredient: he met with athletes (some of
them even as visitors in Herzogenaurach), listened carefully to what they said and constantly observed what can be improved
or even invented to support their needs. The best of the best trusted adidas and its founder from the beginning. And that
would not change throughout the decades to come.
01 / 04
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Footwear for gold medal winners? Check. Apparel for record breakers? Check. Now, how about something to kick with?
Consider it done. In 1970, adidas conquered yet another branch of the sporting goods industry, delivering the official ball,
TELSTAR, for the 1970 FIFA World Cup™. As the name TELSTAR already tells, the ball was designed to improve
visibility on Black and White TV. It was the beginning of a wonderful partnership, with adidas providing the Official Match
Ball to every FIFA World Cup™ that followed.
OUT OF THE TRUNK, INTO THE WORLD – THE BIRTH OF ROCKPORT
The best businesses seem to come out of family. Across the pond, a father and son hit the US roads to sell shoes out of their
trunk. Saul and Bruce Katz started the first company to ever combine advanced materials and technologies in casual
footwear: Rockport. Again, this will be important later on.
In 1972, the world turned to Germany when the Olympic Games opened in Munich. Just in time for the event, adidas
presented a new logo that was here to stay: the Trefoil. Then, symbolising performance. Today, the adidas Originals
collection stands for lifestyle and street. Times may change, but trefoiled quality will always remain
From Herzogenaurach to the world: the 3-Stripes kept expanding to more and more sports throughout the years. This is
reflected in the broad range of athletes who trust adidas to make them better: besides the usual suspects such as the world’s
best football players, like the Argentinean national team, outdoor icon Reinhold Messner climbed mountains in adidas shoes
and gymnast Nadia Comaneci scored a perfect 10, repeatedly.
DEATH OF A SHOEMAKER
Adi Dassler died on September 6, shortly before his 78th birthday. The man who almost single-handedly redefined the
sporting goods industry and lifted the benchmark by a mile left behind a flourishing company. The end of one Dassler era
became the start of another: Adi’s son Horst, with support from his mother Käthe, took over and – among many other things
– continued to master his invention, the modern sports marketing.
What can you do with just three employees? Lay the foundation for a future market leader, for example. While adidas
continued its flourishing ways, Gary Adams and two colleagues started a company in California that will produce
metalwoods tailored to make players better. TaylorMade will eventually become market leader, proving that three is not
always a crowd.
A BROTHER-TO-BE FINDING ITS WAY – REEBOK ON THE MOVE
30 years after Joe and Jeff Foster renamed their grandfather’s company, Reebok was fit to lead. Literally. Following the
booming fitness trend, women around the world work out in the Reebok Freestyle while fitness professional Gin Miller
became the face of Step Reebok. And that’s not all: THE PUMP innovation hits markets in 1989, making Reebok a
household name in other categories as well.
REEBOK ADVERTISING
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A COMPUTER FOR YOUR FEET
It sounds quite common today, but back in the ‘80s, a computer did not belong, much less fit, in your shoe. Didn’t stop
adidas from putting it in there. An innovation ahead of its time, the Micropacer featured a system – known today as miCoach
– providing performance statistics to athletes.
When US-based hip hop group Run DMC released “my adidas” it was about setting the record straight about hard working
people in troubled neighbourhoods and about pure enthusiasm about their sneakers. adidas itself only found out about this
love story when the band held up the 3-Stripes shoes during a concert in front of 40.000 fans – one of these concertgoers
was an adidas employee. The song became a hit and Run DMC and adidas unexpected and unique partners. This merge of
art and sports not only set the everlasting street fashion trend off but also marked the birth of non-athletic promotions in the
sporting goods industry.
Horst Dassler’s sudden death in 1987, two years after his mother Käthe passed away, meant troubled waters for adidas. After
the Dassler family exited the company, it is changing leadership and questionable strategic decisions that caused a record
loss in 1992 and brought the company near bankruptcy. But who does not love a comeback story?
While the company was still dealing with financial challenges, a new marketing team refocused adidas on what it has been
known for years: making athletes better. Some of the most famous adidas innovations, such as Torsion (1989), the
Equipment concept (1991), the Streetball campaign (1992) and the Predator football boot (1994), were born in this era.
Back on the right track, adidas added a new member to its team. With the acquisition of the Salomon Group and its brands
Salomon, TaylorMade, Mavic and Bonfire, the company changed its name to adidas-Salomon AG.
HOME SWEET HOME
The year the company’s share is admitted to the DAX, comprising Germany’s 30 largest quoted companies, adidas-Salomon
AG committed itself to its roots and moved into new headquarters just outside Herzogenaurach. The “World of Sports”, a
former US military base turned campus, is constantly renewed, extended and modernised over the following years to house
the growing company and its employees. As of 2013, the World of Sports is home to more than 3,000 adidas employees,
offers outdoor sports facilities, a cafeteria, a kindergarten and a gym.
WORLD OF SPORTS
01 / 06
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To learn more about the 'World of Sports' visit the 'Herzogenaurach location-site'.
AN INNOVATIVE LEADER
Herbert Hainer became the new CEO of adidas-Salomon AG and, with him, the company’s focus went even more to
innovation. ClimaCool (2002), adizero (2004) and the F50 football boot, launched just in time for the 2006 FIFA World
Cup™ in Germany, became market hits – as did the new CEO. Herbert Hainer will lead the company from one record to the
next.
NEW CENTURY, NEW DIVISIONS
As the new century started, adidas reinvented the game again. In addition to its sport performance offering, adidas is the first
in the industry to introduce a new lifestyle segment, focusing on sports-inspired streetwear. In the years to come, new
partnerships with Yohji Yamamoto (2002) and Stella McCartney (2004) were born along with exciting labels such as Y-3
(2003) and Porsche Design Sport (2007).
In one of its most memorable marketing campaigns, adidas lets its biggest athletes including David Beckham, Haile
Gebrselassie and Muhammad and Laila Ali face their fears, defeats and challenges only to prove that, indeed, impossible is
nothing. The slogan became the synonym for reaching one’s goals.
One year after adidas and Salomon go their separate ways, when the latter and its brands (excluding TaylorMade) were sold
to Amer Sports, adidas acquired Reebok, including the brands Rockport and Reebok-CCM Hockey, and brought together
two of the world’s most respected and best-known companies in the sporting goods industry. In June, the company was re-
named adidas AG.
FINDING NEW TEAMMATES
When you are already great, how do you become even better? You keep on training. Or join forces with someone who
complements you and your strengths.
In 2011, adidas acquired the outdoor specialist Five Ten, and TaylorMade first the golf company Ashworth in 2009 and then,
three years later, the golf equipment company Adams Golf – making the company even stronger for the road ahead.
At the end of 2010, adidas presented the most comprehensive strategic business plans in its history. “Route 2015”
incorporates special targets for all brands, sales channels and Group functions globally.
From the court to the catwalk and the stadium to the street. The adidas brand offers apparel and footwear for every sport,
every fashion, every style, whether you are an athlete or fashionista. And in 2011, adidas brought together sport, street and
style for the first time in one campaign to tell the world what it means to go all in, heart over head, inclusion over ego. “all
in” (featured by Lionel Messi, David Beckham, Katy Perry and Derrick Rose) lived from the idea that, no matter your goals
or challenges, you have to go all in for the ultimate success.
If it is already in your DNA, why reinvent the wheel? After Reebok dominated the fitness and aerobics wave / movement in
the 1980s with groundbreaking products and marketing, the company signs a long-term partnership with CrossFit, a core
strength and conditioning program, in 2011. Two years later, the studio categories Yoga, Dance and Aerobics followed, and
Reebok has been back on track to become THE fitness brand with the goal to empower consumers to be fit for life. Or
should we say REEbecome?
ENDLESS INNOVATION
Running changed forever. Big words. History will tell us if it is true. adidas introduced the Energy Boost running shoe which
featured a completely new cushioning material. Created in cooperation with the German chemical company BASF, the
material combines former contradictory benefits of soft and responsive cushioning for a running experience unlike any
other.
In March 2015, the next five-year strategic business plan for the company was presented. 'Creating the New' is the plan and
attitude that leads adidas into the future. The company is working every day to inspire and enable people to harness the
power of sport in their lives. The strategy translates that competence in sports into streetwear and fashion because sport is an
attitude and a lifestyle. Everything the company does is rooted in sports. At the very heart of 'Creating the New' are the
adidas and Reebok brands. These brands connect with consumers; therefore, their success defines the success of the
business. With 'Creating the New', brands are closer to consumers than ever before. To achieve this, the plan is focused on
three strategic choices:
Speed: Become the first true fast sports company. Fast in satisfying consumer needs, fast in internal decision-making.
Cities: Six key cities in which to grow share of mind, share of market and share of trend are identified: New York, Los
Angeles, Shanghai, Tokyo, London and Paris.
Open Source: Be the first sports company that invites athletes, consumers and partners to be part of the brands.
After 15 years, Herbert Hainer passed the CEO baton to Kasper Rorsted in October 2016. Transitioning to adidas after
leading the German consumer goods company Henkel for eight years, the Dane was well received among employees, media
and investors alike. As fashion and sportswear industries continued to revolutionize with health and fitness merging into a
lifestyle concept, Rorsted began steering the company to new successes in a digital era, building on the previously
established strategy, ‘Creating The New’.
STRATEGY OVERVIEW
We’re all ‘creating the new’ – because we believe that through sport, we have the power to change lives
We have taken three clear strategic choices that we want to focus on: Speed, Cities and Open Source. Our
People will bring them to life.
‘Creating the New’ is the headline for our next five-year strategic business plan. ‘Creating the New’ is the
attitude that leads us into the future – an exciting future, because our industry is growing in size and scope and
will continue to do so. In fact, the sporting goods industry is growing faster than most other industries, including
consumer electronics. This trend will continue. Sport is central to every culture and society and is core to
an individual’s health and happiness. All of this is very good news to us because our core competency is
sport. Through sport, we have the power to change lives. We work every day to inspire and enable people
to harness the power of sport in their lives. We also translate our competence in sports into streetwear and
fashion because sport is an attitude and a lifestyle. Everything we do is rooted in sports.
At the very heart of ‘Creating the New’ are our brands. Our brands are what connect us with our consumers;
therefore, the success of our brands defines the success of our business. Our core brands – adidas and Reebok –
have strong identities in sport. adidas appeals to athletes and Reebok focuses on the fitness consumer. Through
our unique portfolio of leading sports brands, we cater for the needs and desires of more consumers than any of
our competitors. With ‘Creating the New’, we will get closer to them than ever before. To achieve that, our plan
is based on three strategic choices:
Speed: We will become the first true fast sports company: Fast in satisfying consumer needs, fast in internal
decision-making.
Cities: We have identified six key cities in which we want to grow share of mind, share of market and share of
trend.
Open source: We will be the first sports brand that invites athletes, consumers and partners to be part of our
brands.
Our 2016 results and our positive outlook for 2017 are proof that our strategy is paying off. After the first full
year of ‘Creating the New’, we have exceeded our original plan.
KASPER RORSTED, ADIDAS CEO
In March 2017 the three strategic choices have been supplemented with a special focus on the topics Corporate
Culture, Digital, One adidas, North America and Portfolio.
‘Creating the New’ is an ambitious, yet realistic plan that provides the layout for our accelerated growth, both
on the top and on the bottom line between now and 2020.
“Our 2016 results and our positive outlook for 2017 are proof that our strategy is paying off. After the first full
year of ‘Creating the New’, we have exceeded our original plan,” said Kasper Rorsted, CEO of adidas AG.
Now we have developed additional initiatives which will accelerate the execution of ‘Creating the New’ and
enable us to significantly increase our targets for 2020.
KASPER RORSTED, ADIDAS CEO
The focus of adidas’ strategy ‘Creating the New’, which was presented in March 2015, remains on significantly elevating brand desirability and thus
achieving strong improvements in sales and profitability. ‘Creating the New’ is based on the three strategic pillars Speed, Cities and Open Source,
with which the company has made significant progress in the past two years. As part of the plan to accelerate sales and earnings growth, these three
strategic pillars have now been supplemented with a special focus on the topics Corporate Culture, Digital, One adidas, North America and Portfolio.
COMPANY CULTURE:
Further developing adidas’ unique culture plays a central role for the company in achieving its long-term goals
until 2020. The company’s culture is based on the core belief that, through sport, all adidas employees have the
power to change lives. As part of the accelerated growth plan until 2020, adidas is focusing its HR initiatives on
leadership, talent development and performance management. A group consisting of 18 top leaders across the
most important geographies and functions has already been set up, with an expanded leadership team to be
established in the first quarter of 2017. adidas intends to promote the development of talents as future leaders, in
particular also female talents, in a ‘high-potentials’ circle within the company. Long-term remuneration for
senior executives will be linked to the development of the share price, in order to align the interests of the
company’s senior leaders with the interests of adidas AG shareholders.
DIGITAL:
The www.adidas.com and www.reebok.com websites are already today the brands’ largest and most
profitable own points of sale globally. As part of a digitalisation offensive, the company plans to significantly
drive direct sales through the company’s
e-commerce platforms. E-commerce revenues from these two distribution channels are projected to increase to €
4 billion by 2020, compared to € 1 billion in 2016. Initially, the strategic plan forecasted an increase to € 2
billion by 2020. In addition, improvements in digitalisation processes at every stage of the value chain are
targeted to accelerate building direct relationships with the consumer. Digital technologies such as 3-D creation,
3-D printing and smart manufacturing methods, as in the ‘Speedfactory’ for example, are already used in the
development and production of adidas products. These technologies will be expanded even further.
ONE ADIDAS:
The set of measures under the roof of ‘One adidas’ encompasses numerous initiatives aimed at harmonising and
simplifying business processes within the company. This includes standardising processes, further reducing the
number of articles offered and harmonising marketing activities. Altogether, these measures are expected to
significantly improve the company’s operational efficiency.
NORTH AMERICA:
In 2016, adidas was the fastest-growing brand in the USA. Nevertheless, adidas remains under-represented in
the world’s largest sporting goods market. Therefore the company will continue to invest over-proportionately
into its US business. Areas of focus will be personnel, infrastructure, marketing and point-of-sale. Together with
the regions Western Europe and Greater China, North America will contribute
over-proportionately to the company’s targeted growth in the period until 2020.
PORTFOLIO:
The company will sharpen the focus of its brand portfolio, concentrating even more strongly on the adidas and
Reebok brands and its core competencies in the development and marketing of sports and sports-inspired
footwear and apparel. Following the divestiture of Rockport in 2015 and Mitchell & Ness in 2016 and with the
sales process currently underway for the golf brands TaylorMade, Adams Golf and Ashworth, the company is
now also seeking a buyer for the ice hockey brand CCM Hockey. At the same time, an extensive action plan
was developed for Reebok last year, targeting significant top- and bottom-line improvements, particularly in the
US market, by 2020.
SPEED:
adidas has set itself the goal to become the first true fast sports company. Key milestones were achieved on the
road to this goal in 2016. For example, in 2016, a pilot ‘Speedfactory’ was set up in Ansbach (Germany) and
mass production will commence in 2017. In addition, the second adidas Speedfactory will open in Atlanta
(USA). Altogether, in 2016, around 15% of total sales were generated with products manufactured on Speed
programmes. It is the company’s ambition to increase the share of ‘speed-enabled’ products to at least 50% of
net sales by 2020. As the share of full-price sales with these ‘speed-enabled’ products is targeted to be 20%
higher compared to the regular range, increased speed is also expected to have a positive impact on the
company’s profitability.
CITIES:
adidas is focusing its sales and marketing activities on six metropolitan centres: New York, Los Angeles,
London, Paris, Shanghai and Tokyo. Above-average volumes of sporting goods are purchased there, and these
mega cities also play an influential role in shaping trends, both nationwide and globally. In 2016, adidas
increased brand desirability, revenues and market share in all these cities. The company’s goal is to double
revenues in these cities by 2020 compared to 2015.
OPEN SOURCE:
‘Open Source’ is a model based on open collaboration between adidas and external partners from the worlds of
industry, sport and entertainment as well as consumers. This includes, for example, the company’s partnership
with chemical company BASF in the development of the Boost sole technology. Thanks to Boost, adidas
succeeded in gaining significant market share in 2016, in particular in the running footwear category. The
company’s unique collaboration with Kanye West has also been exceptionally successful, generating additional
brand heat, particularly in social media. The same is true for the sustainability initiative ‘Parley for the Oceans’,
as part of which adidas contributes to cleaning up the world’s oceans. This year, adidas plans to bring to market
one million pairs of shoes made from ocean plastic.
The way forward is clear: Through the accelerated execution of ‘Creating the New’, we will enhance the
desirability of the adidas and Reebok brands. At the same time, we as a company will become better and
more efficient.
EXECUTIVE BOARD
Our Executive Board is composed of six members.
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Kasper Rorsted, Chief Executive Officer of adidas AG
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Roland Auschel, Executive Board Member and responsible for Global Sales
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Eric Liedtke, Executive Board Member and responsible for Global Brands
CV - Eric Liedtke
EMPLOYMENT
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Harm Ohlmeyer, Executive Board Member and responsible for Finance
CV - Harm Ohlmeyer
EMPLOYMENT
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Karen Parkin, Executive Board Member and responsible for Global Human Resources
CV - Karen Parkin
EMPLOYMENT
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Gil Steyaert, Executive Board Member and responsible for Global Operations
CV - Gil Steyaert
SUPERVISORY BOARD
The Supervisory Board of adidas AG - in accordance with the German Co-Determination Act
(Mitbestimmungsgesetz) is composed of sixteen members.
The core functions of the Supervisory Board include the appointment and dismissal of Executive Board
members, the supervision and consultancy of the Executive Board, the approval of the financial statements as
well as the authorisation of important operative planning and corporate decisions.
By rotation, the next Supervisory Board elections will be held in 2019. In accordance with the German Co-
Determination Act (Mitbestimmungsgesetz - MitBestG) eight of its members are elected by the Annual General
Meeting and eight members are elected by the employees.
For further information on the Supervisory Board members, please see below.
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BORN // 1944
NATIONALITY // French
EXERCISED PROFESSION // Pensioner
CV - Igor Landau
SABINE BAUER, DEPUTY CHAIRWOMAN*
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BORN // 1963
NATIONALITY // German
EXERCISED PROFESSION // Full-time member of the Works Council Herzogenaurach, adidas AG, Chairwoman of the
Central Works Council, adidas AG and Chairwoman of the European Works Council, adidas AG
CV - Sabine Bauer
WILLI SCHWERDTLE, DEPUTY CHAIRMAN
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BORN // 1953
NATIONALITY // German
EXERCISED PROFESSION // Independent Management Consultant as well as Partner, WP Force Solutions GmbH, Bad
Homburg v. d. Höhe, Germany
CV - Willi Schwerdtle
IAN GALLIENNE
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BORN // 1971
NATIONALITY // French
EXERCISED PROFESSION // Co-Chief Executive Officer, Groupe Bruxelles Lambert, Brussels, Belgium
CV - Ian Gallienne
DIETER HAUENSTEIN*
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BORN // 1957
NATIONALITY // German
EXERCISED PROFESSION // Full-time member of the Works Council Herzogenaurach, adidas AG
CV - Dieter Hauenstein
DR. WOLFGANG JÄGER*
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BORN // 1954
NATIONALITY // German
EXERCISED PROFESSION // Managing Director in charge of Public Relations and Scholarships, Hans-Böckler-Stiftung,
Düsseldorf, Germany
CV - Dr. Wolfgang Jäger
DR. STEFAN JENTZSCH
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BORN // 1960
NATIONALITY // German
EXERCISED PROFESSION // Corporate Finance Consultant/Partner, Perella Weinberg Partners LP, New York, NY,
USA
CV - Dr. Stefan Jentzsch
HERBERT KAUFFMANN
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BORN // 1951
NATIONALITY // German
EXERCISED PROFESSION // Independent Management Consultant, Stuttgart, Germany
CV - Herbert Kauffmann
KATJA KRAUS
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BORN // 1970
NATIONALITY // German
EXERCISED PROFESSION // Writer/Managing Partner, Jung von Matt/sports GmbH, Hamburg, Germany
CV - Katja Kraus
KATHRIN MENGES
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BORN // 1964
NATIONALITY // German
EXERCISED PROFESSION // Executive Vice President Human Resources and Infrastructure Services, Henkel AG &
Co. KGaA, Düsseldorf, Germany
CV - Kathrin Menges
UDO MÜLLER*
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BORN // 1960
NATIONALITY // German
EXERCISED PROFESSION // Director Future, adidas AG
CV - Udo Müller
ROLAND NOSKO*
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BORN // 1958
NATIONALITY // German
EXERCISED PROFESSION // Trade Union Official, IG B
CV - Roland Nosko
CE, Headquarter Nuremberg, Nuremberg, Germany
HANS RUPRECHT*
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BORN // 1954
NATIONALITY // German
EXERCISED PROFESSION // Vice President Customer Service Central Europe West, adidas AG
CV - Hans Ruprecht
NASSEF SAWIRIS
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BORN // 1961
NATIONALITY // Egyptian
EXERCISED PROFESSION // Chief Executive Officer and member of the Board of Directors, OCI N.V., Amsterdam,
The Netherlands
CV - Nassef Sawiris
HEIDI THALER-VEH*
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BORN // 1962
NATIONALITY // German
EXERCISED PROFESSION // Member of the Central Works Council, adidas AG
CV - Heidi Thaler-Veh
KURT WITTMANN*
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BORN // 1963
NATIONALITY // German
EXERCISED PROFESSION // Full-time Member of the Works Council Herzogenaurach, adidas AG, First Deputy
Chairman of the Works Council Herzogenaurach, adidas AG
CV - Kurt Wittmann
HEADQUARTERS
The world is our playing field. Such dimensions ask for perfectly aligned playmakers. At
adidas, the lead is taken by our headquarters in Herzogenaurach (Germany) and
additional key locations which are listed below.
adidas AG
Adi-Dassler-Strasse 1
91074 Herzogenaurach
Germany
p+49 9132 84 0
f+49 9132 84 2241
HTTP://HERZO.ADIDAS-GROUP.COM/
REEBOK HEADQUARTERS
Reebok International Ltd.
25 Drydock Ave, Suite 110E
Boston, MA 02210
USA
p +1 781 401 5000
f +1 781 401 7402
ADIDAS SOURCING
The sustainability section of our corporate website has been developed for all of our stakeholders that may have an interest
in how adidas manages sustainability issues. While some of them expect us to be focused on their specific areas of concern,
others wish to obtain a broad overview of our work. To satisfy as many interest groups as possible the website aims to
provide a complete outline of our work including performance data but also remains fact-based and succinct. In some
instances, the reader is directed to other web pages and adidas reports for more information.
Some stakeholders, in particular socially responsible investment (SRI) analysts, wish to see our annual reporting fully
benchmarked against the reporting standards of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). In previous years we have relied on
complete sustainability reports and some references in our annual financial report to meet the GRI requirements. Since 2012,
information on our website and in our annual financial and sustainability report contributes to meeting these requirements.
This allows us to keep our sustainability report succinct and focused on performance and progress while qualitative
information is reported on the corporate website.
This sustainability website section is where we provide information about adidas' sustainability goals, strategy, programmes
and performance. The sustainability section:
Our annual sustainability report focuses on our progress in meeting our key targets for the year. The report also looks
forward and presents the targets for the year ahead.
VERIFICATION: We recognise that some stakeholders want companies to ensure the content and data disclosed in their
sustainability reports is independently verified. While we strive to continuously improve our reporting systems for supplier
monitoring data, we feel that much of this data, in particular data on labour conditions, is not always verifiable in a
standardised way. At this stage therefore we do not feel that report verification would add value. We do, however, believe
that independent verification of workplace conditions and of the processes and monitoring approaches we adopt in our
compliance programme is important. For this reason our reporting does contain information that is subject to an annual
review by the Fair Labor Association. We also refer to data verified when supplier factories or our own facilities were
certified to ISO, EMAS and OSHAS standards.
COVERAGE: Our sustainability reporting covers all brands of the company and our own facilities in all countries where
we operate. It also refers at length to the activities of our suppliers - both those with whom adidas has a direct contractual
relationship (direct supply chain) and those whose contracts are with individual business units, agents or licensees (indirect
supply chain). Any variations in scope or boundary, where relevant, are itemised for specific data sets in the sustainability
performance data section or Green Company Performance Analysis. The Green Company Performance Analysis
complements our global reporting approach and provides in-depth details of our on-site environmental management. There
have been no major changes in our reporting approach compared to the previous year.
PERFORMANCE DATA: Reliable performance data is important. It allows us to review our progress and plan our next
steps. By publishing that data we invite our stakeholders to form their own view about our performance. Since 2006, the
supply chain-related data management for our programme had been managed on the Fair Factories Clearinghouse (FFC)
platform. We use that data to develop critical statements and to report multiple internal and external stakeholders. A selected
group of administration offices, manufaturing sites and distribution centres of adidas report their environmental data on an
annual basis. this data is presented in the Green Company Performance Analysis reports.