Communities

As a global sports company we believe that through sport, we have the power to change lives. Through our community engagement efforts, we put this purpose into action. Powered by our brand attitude ‘Impossible Is Nothing’ we aim to create social impact for our communities.  

Through charitable contributions, volunteering and knowledge sharing, we work hand-in-hand with local organizations in key cities, key sourcing locations and key markets to bring our purpose to life. Anchored in two pillars, ‘People’ and ‘Planet’, we aim to achieve the overarching goal of shaping a better future for everyone using sport as a positive vehicle of change.  

• People: We drive access to sport for everyone and create an equal and safe environment for all when doing sport.   

• Planet: We take action to end plastic waste by protecting the spaces we live and play in. We support sustainable and environmental initiatives that drive change and create real impact.  

Relief presents an additional social and humanitarian component to our efforts. As natural disasters and other crises can strike at any moment, adidas stands with its communities in the markets, cities and sourcing locations in challenging times.  

Our charitable giving guidelines support us in implementing our strategic priorities and adhering to our principles for social initiatives. 

Our engagement 

We strategically select projects and long-term partnerships that create social value and the impact needed to drive positive change most effectively – ranging from skill-based employee volunteering, financial/ in-kind donations to expert advice, grants and sponsoring.   

• We give back: To maximize impact, we leverage brand moments to raise awareness and create opportunities for our employees to engage and get involved.  One example of this is our collaboration with Impact Hub, the biggest social entrepreneurship network, to support start-ups in accelerating their common mission to make the world a better place through sport. In 2021, more than 120 colleagues from across the globe participated in hackathons to help solve some of the business challenges of the selected organizations. 

• We reduce product waste: As a sporting goods company, we have a responsibility for our planet. We do not want our products going to landfill, but rather give them a second life. While reducing waste, we also have the opportunity to create positive change by supporting communities in need with our products. Our product donations are supported by long-term partner organizations such as the Global Aid Network (GAiN) and Ora Kinderhilfe to ensure products are fairly distributed to create real change. 

• We stand up for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: We want to make sport accessible, equitable, and safe for all. By championing individual uniqueness and cultivating a culture of belonging, we work together with expert organizations and local communities to create lasting change. Through programs such as TeamPride to support the LGBTQIA2+ community, United Against Racism to stand with people of color, or Breaking Barriers to engage more girls in sport, we create an environment in which everyone feels valued, recognized, rewarded, and is given the opportunity to perform at their best. 

• We cooperate for change: Grassroots football is not only where the stars of tomorrow are made - Grassroots clubs are support systems for their local communities and they are under threat. adidas Football Collective and UEFA Champions League are championing grassroots football, so tomorrow’s stars can thrive.   

• We build infrastructure for change: By building infrastructure, including playgrounds, sports courts, and sports equipment, we give communities across the globe access to sport. For example, we’ve linked up with athletes like Zinédine Zidane or Paul Pogba to create playgrounds in local communities that will inspire the next generation of young athletes. Find out more about Zinédine Zidane’s ZZ playground and Paul Pogba’s Playgrounds of Possibilities.  

• We protect our planet: Our holistic approach to sustainability responds to the challenges that endanger our planet and people. Our activities range from awareness raising campaigns to collaborations with partners such as Parley for the Oceans to inspire action to fight plastic waste. Over the past few years, we have proved our commitment to saving the oceans in our annual Run for the Oceans events. In 2021, it became the biggest virtual running event in the history of adidas. Every kilometer logged supported our partner Parley’s Global Cleanup Network to remove plastic waste from beaches and islands.  

Impact tracking 

To ensure that our community engagement efforts land with sustained impact, we thoroughly measure, track, and evaluate our social impact. This approach enables us to focus our activities on achieving our overall goal of creating maximum impact by reaching, engaging, and changing as many lives as possible.