Advanced Sustainability *
Germany adidas, owned by Adidas AG, is a globally recognised brand specialising in sportswear and athletic equipment. Founded in 1949 by Adolf Dassler, it has become a leader in footwear, apparel, and accessories for athletes and fitness enthusiasts, shaping the future of performance through responsible innovation.
With over 96% of its polyester recycled, Adidas is accelerating the shift from virgin plastic to lower-impact materials. The brand’s "Made to Be Remade" initiative exemplifies its commitment to circularity, designing products that can be returned, disassembled, and reused to reduce environmental pressure across their lifecycle.
By 2025, adidas aims for climate neutrality in its own operations, focusing on renewable electricity and energy productivity. In line with the EU’s Green Claims Directive, all environmental messaging is supported by verifiable, science-based assessments. Its disclosures are externally reviewed and aligned with frameworks such as GRI and SASB, ensuring claims are accurate, transparent, and distinguishable from legal compliance.
adidas also maintains rigorous labour and human rights standards across its supply chain, ensuring that sustainability is not just a promise, but a principle guiding its global impact.
This means adidas are above average compared to other companies in the Apparel, Accessories & Footwear.
adidas positioning within the Apparel, Accessories & Footwear
The Apparel, Accessories & Footwear sector faces complex sustainability challenges that span environmental, social, and governance dimensions. Environmentally, the industry is resource-intensive, with significant impacts from raw material extraction, chemical use, water consumption, and waste generation. Socially, risks include poor working conditions, wage disparities, and limited worker rights in global supply chains. Governance concerns relate to ethical conduct, accountability, and transparency in business practices. Addressing these challenges is essential to building consumer trust and driving long-term resilience in the sector.
adidas demonstrates strong leadership in environmental performance, exceeding industry averages through its integration of recycled materials, product circularity, and emissions reduction efforts. In social impact, Adidas AG shows a clear commitment to responsible sourcing and supply chain ethics. Still, it lags slightly behind the industry in worker empowerment and community investment, presenting an opportunity for deeper engagement. In governance, adidas performs just below industry benchmarks, indicating room to enhance corporate transparency and board-level accountability. Strengthening these areas would enable adidas to further align with evolving regulatory standards and rising consumer expectations for responsible business.
What Adidas Offers
adidas, by Adidas AG, offers a wide range of sportswear, footwear, and accessories designed for performance, lifestyle, and everyday wear. From running shoes and training gear to fashion-forward collaborations, the brand delivers products that combine innovation, comfort, and iconic style for athletes and casual consumers alike.
Affordability and Sustainability
adidas is committed to making sustainability more accessible without compromising quality or performance. By scaling the use of recycled materials across its product lines and investing in efficient production methods, the brand reduces costs that would otherwise be passed on to consumers. Initiatives like *Made with Nature* and *Made to Be Remade* offer more circular options at a range of price points. adidas also leverages partnerships and innovation to create durable products with longer lifespans, encouraging mindful purchasing and reducing the need for frequent replacement. This approach ensures sustainability is integrated into everyday choices, not just premium collections.
Adidas approaches sustainability as integral to innovation and product design, embedding environmental responsibility across its value chain. The brand leads with material innovation, incorporating recycled content such as ocean plastic through its partnership with Parley for the Oceans, and aims to eliminate virgin polyester entirely. Circularity is central to its strategy, with initiatives like *Made to Be Remade* and resale services supporting product longevity and waste reduction.
adidas is working to achieve climate neutrality across its entire value chain by 2050, with science-based targets guiding emissions reductions and using renewable energy in operations. The brand prioritises transparency, regularly publishing externally verified reports that reflect its environmental and social performance. In alignment with the EU’s Green Claims Directive, adidas ensures its sustainability claims are evidence-based, specific, and clearly distinguishable from regulatory compliance. Through partnerships with environmental organisations and community initiatives, adidas also contributes to broader efforts that extend its positive impact beyond products, helping shape a more responsible future for sport and fashion.
adidas AG demonstrates a proactive approach to environmental responsibility, integrating resource-efficient practices across its operations. The company shows strong energy and water management performance, with a growing share of renewable electricity and efforts to reduce water use in key production stages. Its focus on pollution prevention is reflected in robust chemical management protocols and the elimination of plastic bags in retail environments.
adidas aligns its practices with internationally recognised environmental standards, and many of its suppliers hold certifications such as bluesign® and OEKO-TEX®. These certifications support transparency and credibility, key principles outlined in the EU’s Green Claims Directive. While adidas is advancing efforts in areas such as climate adaptation, biodiversity and responsible land use, there is scope to strengthen its environmental compliance mechanisms. Enhancing oversight and reporting in this area would improve risk management and reinforce trust among consumers and regulators, further supporting adidas’ commitment to evidence-based, verifiable sustainability leadership.
adidas AG demonstrates a clear and evolving commitment to inclusive excellence, community development, and workforce empowerment. The brand supports access to sport and education through targeted initiatives, while its inclusive hiring practices and employee training programmes help cultivate a diverse and skilled global workforce. Partnerships with local organisations further extend adidas’ social impact, reinforcing its belief in sport as a force for positive change.
Across its supply chain, adidas promotes responsible sourcing and upholds internationally recognised labour standards. Its supplier code of conduct and factory audits are publicly disclosed, demonstrating transparency and accountability in line with the EU’s Green Claims Directive, which calls for verified, specific and measurable claims. However, there is scope for improvement in data privacy and digital security practices to strengthen consumer trust in an increasingly connected marketplace.
By enhancing traceability, reporting on social outcomes, and continuing to embed community impact into product development and business operations, adidas has the opportunity to lead with purpose—ensuring its social practices reflect the same ambition and rigour as its environmental initiatives.
adidas AG upholds a structured and accountable governance framework that supports long-term resilience and responsible business conduct. The company demonstrates strong board oversight, with clear roles and strategic alignment between its sustainability goals and executive leadership. Its governance systems are supported by recognised certifications and risk management practices that help navigate market challenges and uphold regulatory compliance.
adidas maintains a public commitment to transparency through sustainability disclosures and stakeholder dialogue. However, there is room to enhance corporate integrity through stronger performance in shareholder rights, ethics reporting mechanisms, and supply chain traceability. These are increasingly important in meeting consumer expectations and the EU’s evolving requirements on verifiable, non-misleading sustainability claims.
To further strengthen its governance profile, adidas could elevate its standards for business ethics, increase access to decision-making processes, and disclose measurable progress in these areas. Doing so would reinforce adidas’ position as a trusted and transparent brand at the intersection of innovation, impact, and accountability.
adidas by Adidas AG stands apart for uniting advanced performance innovation with meaningful environmental action. Its core strength lies in delivering high-quality sportswear that merges technical precision, comfort, and style, trusted by athletes and embraced by culture-shapers worldwide. Through product lines such as *Made with Nature* and *Made to Be Remade*, adidas brings circular design into the mainstream, helping reduce environmental impact without compromising performance. The brand’s deep ties to global sport and cultural communities, alongside collaborations with world-class athletes and influential designers, amplify its influence. This powerful blend of performance, purpose and progress makes adidas a standout choice for consumers who value impact as much as excellence.
Adidas AG, the company behind the globally recognised adidas brand, integrates sustainability at the core of its business, linking performance innovation with long-term environmental and social responsibility. Its approach is rooted in measurable action, clear reporting, and a commitment to continuous improvement.
Environmental Stewardship: adidas reduces its resource impact by scaling up the use of recycled materials—over 96% of polyester used is now recycled—and investing in circular product innovation such as its *Made to Be Remade* initiative. The brand is targeting climate neutrality in its own operations by 2025 and across its full value chain by 2050.
Social Responsibility: adidas supports inclusive workplaces, fair labour standards, and community programmes that expand access to sport and opportunity. Its social practices are built on global standards and transparent supply chain engagement.
Governance & Accountability: With robust board oversight, transparent disclosures, and stakeholder dialogue, adidas ensures its sustainability efforts are both credible and verifiable—aligned with EU directives aimed at preventing greenwashing.
By choosing adidas, you’re supporting a brand that takes measurable steps to reduce impact and enhance positive change, helping shape a more responsible future for people and planet.
adidas partners with bluesign®-approved facilities to ensure responsible chemical management and safer, more sustainable production processes.
Many adidas products use textiles certified to OEKO-TEX® Standard 100, guaranteeing they are tested for harmful substances and safe for human use.
adidas uses materials certified under the GRS, verifying recycled content alongside responsible social, environmental, and chemical practices.
adidas sources cotton through BCI, promoting farming practices that are better for farmers, communities, and the environment.
Several adidas facilities, including offices and distribution centres, are LEED-certified, recognising sustainable construction and energy-efficient operations.
adidas is a long-standing member of the FLA, aligning its labour practices with internationally recognised standards and undergoing independent monitoring.
adidas uses the Higg Index to measure and improve the environmental and social impact of its products and operations across the value chain.
For the most up-to-date information on adidas' certifications and sustainability initiatives, please visit the official adidas sustainability page.
adidas partners with bluesign®-approved facilities to ensure responsible chemical management and safer, more sustainable production processes.
Many adidas products use textiles certified to OEKO-TEX® Standard 100, guaranteeing they are tested for harmful substances and safe for human use.
adidas uses materials certified under the GRS, verifying recycled content alongside responsible social, environmental, and chemical practices.
adidas sources cotton through BCI, promoting farming practices that are better for farmers, communities, and the environment.
Several adidas facilities, including offices and distribution centres, are LEED-certified, recognising sustainable construction and energy-efficient operations.
adidas is a long-standing member of the FLA, aligning its labour practices with internationally recognised standards and undergoing independent monitoring.
adidas uses the Higg Index to measure and improve the environmental and social impact of its products and operations across the value chain.
For the most up-to-date information on adidas' certifications and sustainability initiatives, please visit the official adidas sustainability page.
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