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THROUGH SPORT WE HAVE THE POWER TO CHANGE LIVES

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Fueled by our purpose, we're creating change through sport - to shape a better future for our communities. By increasing access and building belonging, we're striving to bring sport to more people, in more places - and working to reduce our footprint along the way.

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People

Through the partnerships we build, the hours we volunteer and the products we make, we're striving to help more people around the world access and belong in sport.

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Planet

The planet is a playground. It's where we connect, explore, and find ourselves. But today, climate change is affecting the way we play, which is why we're transforming our business to help reduce our impact.

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Impact Highlights

230 Local Organizations supported

Our programs and initiatives help turn the power of sport into real opportunities. Through funding and collaboration, we were able to support communities across 230 local organizations worldwide in 2025.

adidas ranks among top global leaders in climate action

We earned an A climate rating from CDP, a global non-profit organization that scores companies on their environmental impact. We were recognized for our transparency, strong governance, and measurable emissions reductions.

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We will use the power of sport and the resources we have to try and help make the world a better place. We also owe it to the next generation to try to leave this planet in a better shape than it currently is.

Bjørn Gulden

- Chief Executive Officer

FEATURED STORIES

Explore a selection of stories highlighting our partners, the people behind the work, and the real impact in action.

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Adidas foundation

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Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

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CHANGING LIVES THROUGH SPORT

From local partnerships to employee volunteering, explore how we're breaking down barriers through sport. Read the stories of the people and organizations helping us on our journey.

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LOVE.FÚTBOL, BRAZIL

In the semi-arid region of Passagem do Juazeiro, daily life is shaped by extreme heat and limited rainwater. To support the community, love.fútbol and adidas partnered to introduce a multi-sport pitch designed for play and connection. Alongside this, essential infrastructure was built to help strengthen local resilience and support the community long term.

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THE CHALLENGE

Passagem do Juazeiro’s semi-arid climate makes everyday activities far more difficult. Limited rainfall and extreme heat impact both farming and access to sport and recreation. The community relies on seasonal agriculture that is heavily affected by drought. Public infrastructure is minimal, with few safe or structured spaces for sport or community activities. As a result, young people have limited opportunities to take part in sports and social activities, even though there is a strong local need for safe, inclusive spaces protected from the extreme heat. That’s why adidas and Common Goal joined forces with Love.Fútbol through Move For The Planet — to create a shaded, safe space where kids can come together, play, grow, and chase their dreams.

A CLIMATE-RESILIENT HUB

At the heart of the project is a covered, multi-purpose pitch designed to withstand the extreme conditions of Passagem do Juazeiro. Equipped with solar-powered lighting, shaded areas, and rainwater harvesting systems, the space enables year-round use while responding to heat and water scarcity. It provides the first dedicated sports and recreation facility for over 2,000 residents across six villages. Alongside the pitch, a 16,000-litre rainwater cistern was installed to collect and store water to support vegetable and fish production for community meals. This helps improve water security, reduce reliance on external supply, and expand food provision for families in need.

CHANGING LIVES THROUGH SPORT

From local partnerships to employee volunteering, explore how we're breaking down barriers through sport. Read the stories of the people and organizations helping us on our journey.

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EDUCATION & EMPOWERMENT

The project also delivers a structured programme combining sport with environmental education and social development. Children and young people take part in regular sessions focused on sustainability, water conservation, and protection of the local Caatinga biome, alongside values such as inclusion, gender equity, and mental wellbeing. Young people are encouraged to take active roles in supporting activities, helping to build leadership skills and strengthen community involvement. The initiative supports improved access to sport, education, and life skills while contributing to greater community cohesion and resilience.

Creating Inclusive Sport Together

Since 1991, Special Olympics Germany has been advancing equal access to self-development, free choices, self-expression, and society: using sport as a catalyst for change for people with intellectual disabilities. As a recognized national federation within the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB), it runs year‑round training, competitions, and education and health programs across the country. A core principle of its work is the active involvement of athletes in shaping the organization itself: athletes take on meaningful roles as speakers, advisors, vice presidents, and in many other functions, contributing to the organization just like any other colleague. Since 2023, the year Germany hosted the Special Olympics World Games in Berlin, adidas and Special Olympics Germany have been partners on equal footing. Together we outfit and support Team Germany at the World Games in Berlin 2023, Turin 2025, and Santiago de Chile in 2027 as well as invest in grassroots programs that promote access to sports and sports clubs to athletes across Germany. Our aim is that more than the current 8% of people with intellectual disabilities in Germany are motivated to participate in sports and have access to it. The shared ambition is straightforward: to make sport more inclusive at every level, on equal terms for every athlete.

At the heart of this partnership is a cross functional project team of adidas employees who volunteer alongside their regular roles, working side by side with Special Olympics Germany and their athletes who shape every step. Through training camps on our campus, athlete meetups, and brand moments like the Global Week of Inclusion, employees and Special Olympics athletes spend real time together training, sharing meals, and exchanging perspectives. For many of our colleagues, these encounters are genuinely eye-opening: the athletes bring energy, insight, and a way of showing up that changes how we think about sport, performance, and what inclusion really means.

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The Power of Co-Creation

The creation of the shoe was inspired by the brand’s partnership with Chris Nikic and his relentless drive to break down barriers. By involving the community at every step, from product design through to testing, and partnering with advocates who connect us with a diverse range of runners, we're ensuring adaptive performance isn't treated as an afterthought, but as part of how we design. We believe that through sports, we have the power to change lives.

CHANGING LIVES THROUGH SPORT

From local partnerships to employee volunteering, explore how we're breaking down barriers through sport. Read the stories of the people and organizations helping us on our journey.

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More Than a Partnership

It’s not just a partnership on paper. It’s driven by leadership, shaped by the project team, and brought to life by employees and athletes together. The experience is genuinely inclusive, because it is shaped on eye-level and results in both ways, celebrating every step of our journey hand in hand.

Reducing barriers for all athletes: Supernova Rise 3 Adaptive

A new chapter in adidas Running begins with Supernova Rise 3 Adaptive, adidas’ first performance running shoe designed in partnership with athletes with disabilities. Developed with input from people with disabilities, caregivers, and athletes, and inspired by adidas-sponsored athlete Chris Nikic - the first person with Down Syndrome to complete an Ironman - this shoe was created for athletes with disabilities to ensure accessibility is designed into the sport from the start.

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THE CHALLENGE

For millions of people with disabilities, access to running can feel impossible. We heard directly from athletes with disabilities that something as simple as getting into their running shoes can shape their entire experience, from confidence and comfort, to whether they feel able to take part at all. Their voices helped us identify the everyday frictions and find solutions that address real needs. As Nik Nikic, father of athlete Chris Nikic, explains: “On a scale from 1 to 10, when you think about pain tolerance that an able-bodied person would feel at an eight, at one Chris would feel the same level of pain.”

The Power of Co-Creation

The Product

The Supernova Rise 3 Adaptive features a reimagined design with adaptive lacing and tactile design details that make the shoe easier to put on, adjust, and more comfortable to wear. The shoe also leverages Supernova’s proven ingredients, like a softer Dreamstrike+ midsole, to provide athletes with a superior blend of comfort and support.

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CHANGING LIVES THROUGH SPORT

From local partnerships to employee volunteering, explore how we're breaking down barriers through sport. Read the stories of the people and organizations helping us on our journey.