7th World Conference on Sport and the Environment - International ...

Report
It has become commonplace. It is now part of our
everyday vernacular. And that is powerful.
Then there our investors, in particular the SRIs –
Social Responsibility Investment funds – as well as
the mainstream pension funds, which have been
increasingly vocal over the question of business
and sustainability. Together with banks and
insurance companies, the investment community
has heralded the call for business to take an active
part in tackling climate change, in better managing
and preserving natural resources, as well as other
pressing environmental issues.
Government – both national and regional – remains
a dominant voice in regulating business and
the environment. As a European headquartered
company we know this well and we have partnered
with our competitors and with others in the
consumer goods industry to engage with Brussels
on environmental regulation. We are one of the
leadership companies in AFIRM, a group which
has been formed to better manage hazardous
materials in the footwear and apparel industry. This
is in direct response to the recent EU Directive
on testing the environmental and health effects of
chemicals in manufactured goods, and will further
extend our already rigorous programme on product
safety.
Last, but by no means least, there are the activists
and non-governmental organizations that have
been advocating change in business practices – in
particular with respect to global trade, social equity
and workplace conditions in the developing world,
but also in terms of the local community impacts
of manufacturing operations and the global impact
of industry on the environment.
Successes
I would like to highlight for you three examples
where adidas has seen tangible success in
managing our environmental footprint as a sporting
goods company.
The first example relates to the importance of
partnerships and the need to grasp the big picture
and understand all impacts.
adidas is an iconic brand when it comes to “the
beautiful game”, the game of football.
In 2001, when we embarked on an ambitious plan
to develop an Integrated Product Policy, one which
would examine and trace the environmental impact
of our products along the entire value chain, it was
a football boot that was chosen for the pilot study.
The research was revealing.
Our greatest impact – if we look at the full life
cycle of the chosen football boot – is in water
consumption. But it is not water consumed in the
direct manufacture of the shoe itself, but in the
creation of the component materials; most notably
the leather uppers.
The integrated product policy has in essence
created a tool, to enable our designers and
developers to make better choices in materials
and processes to reduce environmental impacts.
The project was completed in partnership with
the Bavarian Government, a range of internal
departments and external stakeholders including
universities and scientific institutes.
Another innovative project, one which has included
partnership with a range of stakeholders is the
Better Cotton Initiative. The Better Cotton Initiative
is multi-stakeholder programme that brings
together apparel producers, NGOs (such as WWF)
and farmers to improve agricultural practices in
order to reduce water consumption and the use
of pesticides in cotton growing areas in Pakistan,
India, Australia and Central Asia. This project also
considers the social dimension of employment and
the economic needs of rural farming communities
who are dependent on cotton production.
My second example highlights the role technology
has to play in managing environmental impacts.
In 2000, adidas introduced water-based
solvents into the process of manufacturing our
athletic shoes. In doing so we reduced the use
of chemical solvents and glues. This led to a
<strong>7th</strong> <strong>World</strong> <strong>Conference</strong> on Sport and the Environment
International Cooperation and Development Dept.
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