Reebok 2012 Annual Report Download - page 143

adidas Group
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2012 Annual Report
Group Management Report – Our Group
121
2012
Sustainability
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02.8
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Strong sustainability track record reflected in
index memberships
Interest from the financial community in sustainability management is
steadily increasing. We appreciate positive recognition from international
institutions and rating agencies, NGOs and socially responsible
investment (SRI) analysts. Each year, we respond to numerous
enquiries from socially responsible investors, fund managers and
financial analysts. They evaluate our efforts through in-depth analysis
of our sustainability programme, including document review as well
as interviews with employees and management. As a result, adidas
AG has been included in a variety of high-profile sustainability indices
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ADIDAS AG IN SUSTAINABILITY INDICES. For the 13th consecutive time,
in 2012, adidas AG was selected to join the Dow Jones Sustainability
Indexes (DJSI), the world’s first global sustainability index family
tracking the performance of the leading sustainability-driven companies
worldwide. In the category “Clothing, Accessories & Footwear”, adidas
AG was rated as industry leader in sustainability issues and corporate
responsibility for the ninth time.
adidas AG in sustainability indices
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DJSI World (DJSI = Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes)
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DJSI EUROPE
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FTSE4Good Europe Index
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ASPI Eurozone Index
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Ethibel Sustainability Index Excellence Europe
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ECPI Euro Ethical Equity
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ECPI EMU Ethical Equity
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STOXX Global ESG Leaders
For more information
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SEE OUR SHARE, P. 60.
Control and monitoring of restricted substances
We have specified clear standards that follow the strictest local
regulations and best practice standards for consumer care and
safety. These standards are mandatory for all business partners and
are updated regularly based on findings in our ongoing dialogue with
scientific organisations. They cover all general requirements for
eco-labels and green seals (e.g. ÖKO-Tex Standard 100, Toxproof TÜV
Rheinland, etc.) for footwear, apparel and hardware products. Both
our own quality assurance laboratories and external testing institutes
are used to constantly monitor material samples to ensure supplier
compliance with these requirements. Materials that do not meet our
standards and specifications are rejected.
Furthermore, it is the adidas Group’s goal to work with suppliers and
the chemical industry on eliminating and reducing the discharge of
hazardous chemicals in our sphere of influence as far as possible.
Besides our mature policies that ban or restrict chemicals in our
products, we have also specified substances that cannot be used during
the manufacturing process because they can affect workers’ health.
Reducing VOC emissions
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), which are typically found in solvents
used in our manufacturing process, can, in a high concentration, cause
breathing difficulties and other health problems for production workers.
Therefore, for more than a decade, we have been requesting our footwear
suppliers to significantly reduce the use of VOCs in their manufacturing.
By applying innovative and environmentally sound bonding and priming
technologies and following the adidas Group’s guidelines on the use of
chemicals, it has been possible for our athletic footwear suppliers to
reduce the use of VOCs from well above 100 grams per pair down to
close to 20 grams.