...For adidas Group, the payment of sponsorship fees has no bearing on how we manage and support working conditions in our manufacturing supply chain. And contrary to what has been stated in the NGO report, we believe we are living up to our commitment to act responsibly in sourcing our products.

The report makes some general statements about sourcing practices and manufacturing trends which we feel lack facts, are misinformed and therefore misleading...

Decisions on where to place orders are complex, they are not based on where one can secure the lowest wages, but on the interplay of available production capacity, the technical capability of a supplier to make a specific product, operating overheads and productivity levels, trade benefits for the country of origin, market access, logistics, as well as access to materials...

We are concerned about the welfare of the workers who make our products and we are taking steps to progressively improve compensation levels and deliver a fair wage. We are doing so in partnership with our suppliers and with the Fair Labor Association...