Sustainability
The adidas Group must manage wide-ranging commercial and competitive pressures to deliver growth. Simultaneously, we have a responsibility towards our employees and the environment, to ensure that decent working conditions and environmental standards are met throughout our global organization and supply chain. We always strive to manage both our own activities and our supply chain responsibly and to reduce our environmental impact. Moreover, we believe that acting as good corporate citizens will improve our corporate reputation and hence our economic value, helping us to be a sustainable company.
ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT WITH STAKEHOLDERS
At the adidas
Group, we pursue a policy of open dialog with our numerous
stakeholders. We actively and systematically engage with
them, involving them in key social and environmental decisions
that shape our day-to-day operations. Through our membership
in organizations such as the World Business Council
for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), the World Federation
of the Sporting Goods Industry (WFSGI), the Fair Factories
Clearinghouse (FFC) and the Fair Labor Association (FLA), we
work closely with top companies from a variety of sectors to
develop sustainable business approaches and to debate social
and environmental topics on a global level. In addition, we
always strive to report in an open and transparent way. Comprehensive
information on the Group’s social and environmental
programs is provided in our 2007 Social and Environmental Report and on our website. 
www.adidas-Group.com/sustainability
WORKPLACE STANDARDS SET RULES IN SUPPLY CHAIN
Following the acquisition of Reebok, we combined the best of
both companies’ previous social and environmental programs
and created a new Group-wide set of Workplace Standards
for our supply chain. These are based on International Labour
Organization (ILO) and UN conventions relating to human
rights and employment practices, and they follow the WFSGI
model code of conduct. Our Workplace Standards contain clear
rules of conduct regarding:
Environmentally sound, safe and healthy working conditions
Fair wages and benefits
Freedom of association
Prohibition of excessive overtime, forced and child labor
Protection against harassment and discrimination
These Standards help us select manufacturing partners and serve as guiding principles in the early identification and treatment of potential issues of concern at our suppliers’ sites. To illustrate how suppliers should implement our Standards, we have created a set of guidelines for use in factory settings, which we update on a regular basis. Currently, we have six guidelines (complemented by specific supplementary materials) covering the following areas:
Health, Safety and Environment (HSE)
Employment Standards
Best Environmental Practice
Worker Cooperatives
Enforcement of Workplace Standards
Sustainable Compliance
The guidelines are also used by our Social and Environmental Affairs (SEA) team to determine suppliers’ compliance with our Standards and to advise and train our suppliers in improving their social and environmental performance.
