Adidas on Wednesday raised its investment in black communities to $120 million from $20 million after criticism.
“It’s time to own up to our silence: Black Lives Matter,” the company tweeted on Wednesday, June 10, as part of a Twitter thread about the new commitment.
The announcement came one day after employees and others criticized an initial $20 million commitment, which one employee described to Footwear News as “laughable.” Since last Friday, Adidas employees at the company’s North America headquarters in Portland reportedly have been staging a daily noon protest.
“Our Black co-workers have shown us through their words and actions what leadership looks like, and the change Adidas can make,” the company said on Twitter. “They’ve led the response that we will continue to implement together.”
On Tuesday, June 9, Adidas announced plans to invest $20 million in black communities, support university scholarships for black employees and increase the number of black and Latino hires at its North American headquarters. The company had already been facing calls for greater diversity within its ranks prior to the protests in wake of the death of George Floyd.
Photo courtesy Adidas
