Adidas: Sustainability as First Concern

Anaïs ADLERFLIGEL

21 nov. 20204 min de lecture

Dernière mise à jour : 25 nov. 2020

In recent years, the environment and sustainable development have been at the heart of all concerns. For many centuries, the planet has provided humans and companies with the resources necessary for their financial and temporal sustainability. Companies have built their fortunes and their reputation thanks to a production system which, although very successful, is no longer in line with today's ecological emergency. This is why today companies are making concerted efforts to face the new challenges of today, which include moving towards a cleaner and more environmentally friendly production process. The giant Adidas is not escaping the current times and is redoubling its efforts to put environmental issues at the center of its concerns.

Since ever, ‘Through sport, we have the power to change lives’ is the believe of Adidas and reflects the atmosphere and the values of the company. The company is considering that it is important for a brand to have a purpose in order to have an impact on the society, on the planet and on the industry. Sustainability is part of adidas’s biggest purpose and since several years, undertake concrete actions to change the rules of the game. Through its big notoriety and visibility, Adidas is trying to give the best example possible by taking sustainable initiatives in a long-term vision. The initiatives have been taken at every level of the company, from product composition, to the office day to day life.

“This is our purpose, and it drives us in everything we do. I strongly believe that a company not driven by purpose will struggle in the future.”- Kasper Rorsted, adidas CEO

1- Product composition

Adidas is committed to offer its consumers green products made with sustainable materials. In 2020, more than 50% of the polyester used in Adidas’s products come from recycled plastic, and by 2024, the objective is to reach 100% recycled plastic based polyester. Moreover, Adidas created with its partner Parley – a company fighting for climate and plastic waste – a range of products made from plastic retrieved on beaches and oceans, and years after years the number of pairs of shoes made from such wastes increases. In 2017, Adidas produced 1 million pairs of shoes, and reached production capacity of 20 million in 2020. Thanks to these actions, Adidas and Parley avoided 2810 tons of plastic to be rejected in the oceans.

Adidas x Parley shoes

In addition, Adidas plans to launch a 100% recyclable shoe, the “Futurecraft Loop” in 2021, to go along with wasting issues, and foster the reuse. Adidas is also working on new bio-fabrics, thinking about cellulose and protein, to offer sustainable alternative for clothes. Moreover, since 2018, Adidas use 100% sustainably produced cotton.

Adidas Three Circular Loops

2- Mobilization events

Adidas organizes events around the theme of the environment, not only to raise these issues, but more importantly to help solve them. This is why adidas organizes the annual "Run for the oceans" all around the world to raise funds for various social causes and to help its partner Parley, which is very involved in environmental issues, and collect plastic waste during the run. Employees are very involved since 2500 employees of Herzogenaurach headquarters have participated, and more then 17000 all around the world.

Adidas “Run for the Oceans”

3- Collaborations & partnerships

Adidas is very engaged in collaborating with companies and associations involved in the same cause. Partnerships with Parley, the scientific company Carbon, or the Fashion for Goods platform, help Adidas to improve its sustainable actions, and accompany Adidas in this journey toward sustainable development.

4- In-stores

Since 2016, and according to the applicable law, Adidas has banned the distribution of plastic bags in its stores, and since 2017, plastic is totally banned in Adidas sites. Moreover, the company is currently looking for recycled solutions for its transportation chain, notably to find an alternative to deliver products in stores in a more sustainable way. Moreover, in order to go along with the company’s recycling involvement, Adidas created the Infinite Play service, already implemented in UK, which consists to bring back clothes in any condition to be recycled, in exchange of a voucher.

5- Corporate & industry level

The biggest the company is, the bigger impact it can have. Adidas has decided to develop a long-term vision and reduce by 30%, its greenhouse gases and those of its suppliers, compared to 2017’s emissions. Their objective: reach the carbon neutrality by 2050. Furthermore, headquarters in Germany use only energy from renewable sources by installing sun panels on the roof. There are no plastic bottles available in the office, cafeteria or restaurant, employees use reusable cups. Moreover, the company helps its employees to have a greener lifestyle with corporate Green Programs.

Adidas headquarters in Herzogenaurach (Germany)

Adidas’s efforts to reduce plastic use, is resulting in 40 tones of plastic waste avoidance in offices and stores per year. Adidas has been rewarded for all sustainable actions since in the last 20 years, the company stands in the Dow Jones Sustainability index which consider environmental impact, and many other social criteria, and shows Adidas’s involvement for the planet, and their aspiration to transform the entire supply chain, from labor conditions, to employee’s mindset, and shift to better standards for the whole industry.