[pageLogInLogOut]

#Textiles & Apparel / Garment

Factsheet: Progress on Creating Lasting Change Now

adidas provided its latest update on its Creating Lasting Change Now commitments, which are focused on driving greater diversity, equality and inclusion within the company and in communities.

These progress updates come from the global Committee to Accelerate Inclusion & Equality, formed to increase the representation, retention and advancement of diverse talent globally and develop specific targets to hold adidas accountable to these goals.

CREATING AN INCLUSIVE CULTURE 

adidas is working with urgency to move its culture forward for present and future generations, ensuring equity, inclusion and opportunity for all employees.

• Launched the global Creating a Culture of Inclusion training, in which employees explore critical topics including diversity dimensions, unconscious biases, privilege and microaggressions. All teams were then required to demonstrate their personal commitment by agreeing and managing 5 commitments on how to create a more inclusive workplace. As of Feb. 8, globally all senior leaders and nearly all adidas employees have completed the program, committing approximately 25 hours each over the last 4 months.

• Strengthened and reinforced the global Anti-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment Policy. A team of employees also collaborated with a third-party consultant to create the new Corrective Action Matrix. This provides clear guidance on how the company will respond to harassment, discrimination, disrespectful conduct and retaliation.

• Conducted a series of listening sessions that included more than 700 employees led by nearly 40 leaders from the Committee to Accelerate Inclusion & Equality, Executive Board and Senior Leadership Team.

• Signed The Juneteenth Pledge, led by adidas partner Pharrell Williams, which means June 19, Juneteenth, will be a paid holiday for all adidas and Reebok employees in the U.S., and identified as a day in other offices to reflect on the value of diversity and inclusion. 

• Created the Global Day of Inclusion, a companywide event highlighting our progress toward creating a culture of true belonging. The first event took place virtually on Sept. 15, and the company is preparing for its second Global Day of Inclusion this year.

PEOPLE

adidas is reforming its global hiring and career development processes to ensure fair and equitable hiring across adidas – removing potential hiring bias, increasing representation and creating more accountability and oversight. 

• Launched The Champions Program in North America, comprised of employees across the business who are highly trained to drive consistency, address blind spots and ensure a fair and equitable hiring experience.

• Revamped the adidas Mentoring Program (amP), bringing together employees with diverse backgrounds and experiences in fulfilling, two-way partnerships. aMP empowers employees around the globe to embrace different perspectives and unlock new paths of professional development.





• Piloted Ten Thousand Coffees, a new networking tool in North America that unites employees across functions, job levels and geographies.

• Increased diversity within People Leader Essentials (PLE), an interactive series of virtual workshops that equips employees with the skills they need to ignite a winning team culture. PLE is open to all employees around the world at all levels, including existing people leaders and those who aspire to be.

• Continuing to make progress against new hiring targets in the U.S. for Black and LatinX people within the U.S. workforce at adidas and Reebok. adidas is targeting a minimum of 30% of all open positions to be filled with Black or LatinX talent and at least 50% of new hires for all open positions to be filled with diverse talent inclusive of all diverse categories (gender, sexual orientation, disability, veteran). The company is targeting 20% to 23% Black and LatinX employees in corporate roles by 2025, and 12% in leadership positions in the U.S. by that time.


COMMUNITIES

adidas is investing $120 million to support and empower Black communities in the U.S. through 2025 in addition to its existing grassroots initiatives.

• Increasing global support for Black and LatinX communities by upping investment in diverse businesses and startups, expanding supplier diversity and working with employee groups in local markets to grow community outreach. One of the first initiatives is Close the Gap, a program built in partnership with Impact Hub, the world’s largest network of social ventures and entrepreneurs. Through this initiative, adidas employees will mentor Black and LatinX-led social ventures to create change.

• Working with new partners, including Blavity and Appetite for Change, to advance equity and inclusion within communities. With Blavity, a community for Black creativity and news, and Appetite for Change, a Minneapolis organization dedicated to removing barriers to fresh food, adidas will further drive its grassroots initiatives with authenticity and lasting impact.

• Expanded the initial scholarship commitment for Black and LatinX students, with contributions to date totaling $500,000 in debt relief grants to students at adidas’ HBCU partner schools. Through a partnership with the United Negro College Fund, adidas developed a roadmap for $2 million in scholarships through 2024 for Black and LatinX students.


More News from TEXDATA International

#ITM 2026

ITM 2026: The new geography of textile production

New production hubs are emerging across North Africa and Central Asia, while Türkiye is accelerating its transformation toward higher-value, technology-driven and more sustainable textile manufacturing.

#Research & Development

“Production is a product”

From technical textiles and AI-driven robotics to the limitations of textile circularity: Professor Dr Thomas Gries looks back on more than two decades of development at ITA Aachen. In the interview, he explains why production technology remains a decisive success factor, discusses international collaborations and innovation ecosystems, and shares his views on the transformation of production landscapes and the challenges facing an increasingly regulated industry.

#Knitting & Hosiery

“We need to move away from the price trap and return to a value-driven mindset.”

With its new Textile Innovation Center, KARL MAYER is sending a strong signal for innovation, collaboration, and the future of textile applications. In this interview, Karl Josef Mayer discusses new opportunities in warp knitting, the processing of staple fibres, recycling, the changing role of machinery manufacturers, and why the textile industry must once again focus more strongly on the value of textiles. by Oliver Schmidt

#Associations

“Innovation, resilience and international experience remain the great strengths of the Swiss textile machinery industry”

Geopolitical uncertainty, growing competitive pressure from China, new free trade agreements and the shift towards a circular economy are currently reshaping the global textile industry. In this interview, Cornelia Buchwalder discusses the current mood within the Swiss textile machinery sector, the industry’s distinctive innovative strength, new market opportunities in India and Asia, and the technological trends that could shape the upcoming trade fair cycle leading up to ITMA 2027.

More News on Textiles & Apparel / Garment

#Fabrics

Texhibition Istanbul to bring together more than 500 exhibitors for 10th edition

The 10th edition of Texhibition Istanbul Fabric and Textile Accessories Fair will take place from 9 to 11 September 2026 at Istanbul Expo Center. More than 500 exhibiting companies across five halls and 42,850 square metres will present new-season collections, materials and technologies, bringing together Türkiye’s textile production strength with an increasingly international sourcing community.

#Textiles & Apparel / Garment

IFCO Istanbul strengthens international reach with 12,550 trade visitors

The tenth edition of Istanbul Fashion Connection (IFCO), held from 19 to 21 August 2026, attracted 12,550 trade visitors from 117 countries to the Istanbul Expo Center. More than 200 exhibitors presented collections, manufacturing expertise and sourcing solutions across womenswear, menswear, kidswear, denim, eveningwear, lingerie, hosiery, accessories and homewear.

#Textiles & Apparel / Garment

Asia's premier fashion event CENTRESTAGE officially has kicked off

Organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) and sponsored by the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDA) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government, CENTRESTAGE, Asia’s annual premier fashion event and a flagship programme of the third edition of Hong Kong Fashion Fest, officially opened today at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC). Running for four consecutive days until 5 September, the exhibition is open free of charge to both industry buyers and the public, and invites all to immerse themselves in the unique allure of Asia's fashion capital.

#Europe

European textile industry calls for €10 handling fee on ultra-fast-fashion imports

The introduction of the €3 customs duty on low-value imports marks an important milestone in Europe’s efforts to address the challenges created by the rapid growth of ultra-fast-fashion imports. Together with the abolition of the €150 customs duty exemption, it demonstrates that policymakers are willing to act when market distortions become impossible to ignore. However, the European textile and clothing industry considers this a first step rather than the final destination.

Latest News

#Weaving

Lindauer DORNIER GmbH welcomes new apprentices and dual-study students

For 22 new “DORNIER Talents”, these days mark the beginning of a new chapter at Lindauer DORNIER. For the family-owned company, in-house training is a key pillar in developing skilled professionals and retaining them within the company for the long term.

#Raw Materials

Cotton Brazil Dialogues 2026 concludes with 50 international participants immersed in Brazilian cotton production

The Cotton Brazil Dialogues concludes its 2026 edition after a series of technical visits to farms, cotton gins and reference centers, as well as workshops focused on Brazilian cotton production. A total of 50 participants from 14 countries took part in the field trips. The initiative is led by the Brazilian Association of Cotton Growers (Abrapa) and the National Association of Cotton Exporters (Anea), with support from the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil).

#Research & Development

Novel flame-retardant and recyclable fiber-reinforced composite

Airplanes and passenger trains must meet strict safety requirements, including fire safety standards. This calls for materials that are flame-retardant, lightweight, robust, and scalable. Empa researchers, in collaboration with their industry partner Elantas, have now succeeded for the first time in making such a material – a composite – fully recyclable.

#Composites

WHILL selects Teijin’s tough, lightweight Carbon Fiber Composite for new last-mile mobility

Teijin Limited announced today that WHILL Inc., a global leader in inclusive mobility technology, has selected Sereebo® P CFP series, a carbon fiber-reinforced thermoplastic (CFRTP) material, for key structural components of the upcoming WHILL Model C Lite. Sereebo® P CFP series provides high strength, light weight, design flexibility and system cost advantages to the Model C Lite, which is a battery powered, single-seat, last-mile device. This new model combines maneuverability with light weight and one-handed folding to ensure ease of handling and operation.

TOP