Adidas 2003 Annual Report Download - page 109

TRAINING AND EDUCATION /// The long-term goal of our
strategy is that suppliers integrate the SOE into their own
systems. Our training initiatives are designed to increase
factory management staff capacity so that their efforts to
improve working conditions become integral to the factory
management’s style and sustainable over the long term. In
2003, the SEA Team conducted 206 training sessions and
workshops. The training sessions took place in the suppliers’
own factories and in regional workshops. The training activi-
ties on environmental best practices that were held in China
and Turkey were particular highlights.
LISTENING TO STAKEHOLDERS /// We actively and systemati-
cally cooperate with our numerous stakeholders, involving
them in key social and environmental decisions so that we
can best balance interests, build consensus and enhance the
transparency of our business. Stakeholders represent a very
diverse range of organizations, groups and individuals and
include our shareholders, concerned consumers, employees,
workers in our suppliers’ factories and non-governmental
organizations (NGOs) whom we affect and who affect us. Over
the last two years, formal stakeholder consultation meetings
have taken place in Asia, the Americas and Europe on a
regular basis. We have invited participants from other compa-
nies, trade associations, trade unions, social investment
funds, sustainability institutes, universities, certification
organizations, and various NGOs involved in human rights to
participate. Each meeting was moderated and recorded by
independent facilitators. In 2003, we further extended the
scope of stakeholder consultations and conducted additional
consultation meetings with workers from supplier factories in
Europe to receive their feedback about the Group’s SOE
program.
RECOGNITION /// adidas-Salomon is an industry leader on
sustainability issues. In 2003, after thorough analysis by Dow
Jones Sustainability Indexes of the Group’s social, environ-
mental and financial performance, adidas-Salomon was
included in the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes (DJSI) for the
fourth consecutive year. The DJSI are global sustainability
indices which track the performance of leading sustainability-
driven companies. adidas-Salomon was additionally included
in the FTSE4Good Europe Index, which selects companies on
the basis of ongoing commitment to environmental sustain-
ability, strong financial performance, a positive relationship
with stakeholders and dedication to upholding and supporting
human rights. Another highlight was that Ethibel, the
Brussels-based CSR (corporate social responsibility) research
and advisory organization, decided to select adidas-Salomon
for the Ethibel Investment Register. The Ethibel Investment
Register is used as the basis for Socially Responsible Invest-
ment (SRI) products for a growing number of European banks,
fund managers and institutional investors. The final decision
of the board of directors was based on two independent
surveys prepared by Stock at Stake, Ethibel’s research arm.
Both the survey of the global sports footwear industry and the
sector study of the European textile, apparel and luxury goods
industry clearly indicated adidas-Salomon as “best in class”
in all fields of corporate social responsibility: social policy
(both internal and external), environmental policy and eco-
nomic policy. According to the latest analysis conducted by
the rating agency INNOVEST in 2003, adidas-Salomon has
been ranked as leader in CSR within the sporting goods and
garment industry.
SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL REPORT AVAILABLE /// More
information regarding sustainability topics can be found in our
current Social and Environmental Report and on the Internet
at www.adidas-Salomon.com.
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a/// FTSE4GOOD EUROPE INDEX
b /// FAIR LABOR ASSOCIATION
c /// DOW JONES SUSTAINABILITY
INDEXES
d /// MEMBER OF THE ETHIBEL
SUSTAINABILITY INDEXES
a ///
b ///
d ///
c ///