adidas Impact Hub

People

SPORT IS MORE THAN A GAME. IT CHANGES LIVES.

Sport opens doors, builds confidence and brings people together. That's why we're working to help as many people as possible experience everything sport has to offer.

WE STRIVE TO

INCREASE ACCESS

We're partnering to develop and enhance community spaces and programs, so more people have the opportunity to play.

BUILD BELONGING

We're working with local partners and communities to make sport a place where everybody feels represented, welcome and included.

OUR AMBITION TO CREATE LASTING IMPACT

We build partnerships, volunteer our time, and create products with one goal in mind: to help more people access sport and feel they belong. In collaboration with our non-profit, grassroots, and community partners, we’re driving change and transforming lives through sport.

Sports can change lives. It gives people confidence, self-esteem, and a sense of purpose.

Billie Jean King

- adidas Ambassador

TOGETHER WE CAN REACH FURTHER

29 Countries

With our partners, we bring the power of sport to communities in 29 countries. Opening doors to play, belong and thrive around the world.

30 Key Partners & Programs

Together, we co-create and provide support to programs addressing barriers to sport, bringing meaningful impact to individuals and their communities.

230 Local Organizations

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.

29 Countries

With our partners, we bring the power of sport to communities in 29 countries. Opening doors to play, belong and thrive around the world.

30 Key Partners & Programs

Together, we co-create and provide support to programs addressing barriers to sport, bringing meaningful impact to individuals and their communities.

230 Local Organizations

Key Partners and Programs

Find out more about our global community of partners.

global

adidas Foundation

The foundation works globally through partnership development, community engagement, advocacy, evaluation and research to unite communities through sport and drive social change for people and the planet.

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USA

adidas Legacy

A basketball platform for underrepresented communities that empowers and unites the next generation of creators to make a better future.

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USA

Ahmaud Arbery Foundation

Supporting mental wellness and creating pathways for young men to thrive through a harmony of running and leadership programming.

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south africa

Amandla

AMANDLA drives positive change for youth by creating Safe-Hubs in impoverished areas that offer sports, education, and mentorship.

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china

Amity Foundation

This foundation works to enhance sports development in rural China by providing sports products, teacher training, and academic opportunities.

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USA

Athlete Ally

Advocacy to move LGBTQI+ equality forward in sport by activating communities to lead and consult on creating more inclusive policies.

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USA

Boys & Girls Clubs of America

A network of clubs offering affordable sports access for youth to develop their confidence through recreational programs.

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china

China Children and Teenager Fund

This partnership focuses on promoting the all-around development of children & adolescents and creating more opportunities for them to fully enjoy the joy of sports.

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global

Common Goal

A sport-for-good network connecting the cultural and financial influence of the football industry with local organisations all around the world to dismantle inequalities and build a better future for all.

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brazil

CUFA

This organization promotes integration, empowerment and social inclusion through cultural, sports and educational projects in favelas.

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Panama

Fundación Alberto Motta

By supporting initiatives in education, health, culture, the environment and housing the foundation provides partners with tools to improve life in high‑risk communities. The joint Encestando Sueños program exemplifies this impact by transforming young basketball athletes through sport.

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Peru

Fundación Niños Del Arco Iris

The foundation is a non-profit in Peru focused on improving the lives of economically vulnerable children. Providing education, health, and nutrition to children ages 3-13, the foundation works to break the cycle of poverty and create brighter futures through a holistic approach that nurtures mind and body.

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Argentina

Fundación River Plate

Through eight different educational, sports, and social programs, River Plate Foundation supports the development of young people in social and economic vulnerable situations. It strives to contribute to and build a more just and integrated society.

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Panama

Fútbol con Corazón

A social enterprise promoting inclusive, community-driven development through the game of football. It aims to empower children, youth, and families to become positive change agents. Fútbol con Corazón is active in multiple countries across Latin America, USA and Spain.

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Chile

Fútbol Más

Fútbol Más is dedicated to promoting the well-being of children, youth, and their communities through sports. The organization is active in 18 countries across Latin America, Africa, Europe, and the Middle East and focuses on fostering resilience, building meaningful relationships, and enhancing community cohesion.

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USA

Girls on the Run

A running program inspiring girls to be healthier and more confident by teaching them how to train for and run a complete 5K race.

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brazil

Gol de Letra

This foundation annually supports over 4,500 young people from socially vulnerable communities in Brazil with sports, education, cultural, and vocational training programs.

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japan

Her Team

A project in partnership with Japan Football Association dedicated to creating an environment where teenaged girls are encouraged to continue playing football.

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Canada

Hope and Health

Improving health and life outcomes for Indigenous youth in British Columbia by engaging kids through sports-based development soccer programs.

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south africa

Kolisi Foundation

The foundation works to bring systemic change through sport and education by addressing gender-based violence and contributing to food security.

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MEXICO

Lazos

Lazos is a Mexican organization with 29+ years of empowering children in vulnerable public schools. By enhancing academics and fostering values like gratitude, self-esteem, and confidence, Lazos equips children to overcome challenges, improve their schools, and achieve their goals for a brighter future.

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brazil

Museu do Futebol

As Brazil's largest football museum, this space offers exhibitions and programs that celebrate sports. It fosters discussions on gender equality, empowerment, anti-racism, and inclusion.

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MEXICO

Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos

NPH Mexico provides a loving, stable home for vulnerable children, offering care, education, and opportunities to thrive. With a holistic approach that includes healthcare, emotional support, sports, and community building, NPH empowers children to break the cycle of poverty and become compassionate leaders.

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global

Special Olympics Germany

The largest inclusive sports organization for people with intellectual disabilities in Germany. Through the unifying power of sport, they promote an inclusive society where everyone can lead active, self-determined, and fulfilling lives.

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USA

Starlings

A volleyball and academic program that serves girls from low-socioeconomic backgrounds by offering a space to find empowerment, direction, and love through training and competition.

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china

Suzhou HHLX Foundation

This partnership focuses on the sports needs of students and groups with special needs, allowing participants to experience the joy of life and gain physical health.

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USA

The Hidden Opponent

Advocacy that raises awareness for student-athlete mental health. It creates safe spaces for athletes to be heard and coaches to be educated.

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COLOMBIA

Tiempo de Juego

Tiempo de Juego is a community empowerment program focusing on providing psychosocial skills, technical training, and leadership development through sport. It’s aim is to inspire and enable young people to become agents of change within their community.

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USA

U.S. Soccer Foundation

Supporting the physical and personal development of children in underserved communities through soccer by constructing pitches for youth play.

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global

With Women We Run

With Women We Run is our global running initiative focusing on building a community, rooted in allyship and advocacy, who actively combats gender-based violence and discrimination in the sport.

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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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Special Olympics Germany: Volunteering for inclusive sport

Encestando Sueños: Where Basketball Meets Purpose in Panama

adidas Launches Single Shoe Service For Those Living With Leg Limb Difference

HER TEAM: Elevating Japanese Girls in the World of Football

Taking Action to Change Lives Through Sport

adidas Runners: With Women We Run

adidas Reveals Industry-First Adaptive Wheelchair Basketball Uniforms

Celebrating a year of unity, impact and progress: adidas Runners 2024

adidas Helping to Level the Playing Field for Next Generation of Athletes Through Partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs of America

Adidas foundation

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

FOR THE PLACES WE PLAY

The planet is a playground. See how we are shifting our business to help reduce our impact on the environment. Explore our action steps and our roadmap to a lower-impact future.

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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.

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.

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.

fÚtbol con corazÓn

adidas and Common Goal have teamed up for Move For The Planet to fund projects around the world, all with one central mission – to provide education on sustainability and adapt the infrastructure of sports facilities. Fútbol con Corazón is passionate about football and the positive impact it can make on the lives of local youths in Colombia. The local community on the island of Tierra Bomba in Cartagena has struggled with spaces to play football on the island. Throughout the year, the organization has been able to finalize the adaptation of an open space by turning it into a football pitch, they also raised awareness throughout the community about the importance of conserving the island's spaces with the creation of in-community "environmental guardians". The implementation of a plastic repurposing machine has allowed for the local community to convert plastic waste into usable items that local community members can use and sell at a local market. The organization will continue to support similar projects throughout Colombia.

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KEY INFO

Location:

Tierra Bomba, Cartagena, Colombia

MOVE FOR THE PLANET YEAR:

2023

sport focus:

Football

impact areas:

Renewed Sports Infrastructure & Sustainable Management Processes Education on Environmental Sustainability and Sports

actions

Renewed Sports Infrastructure & Sustainable Management Processes

Converting an empty space into a usable sports field.

Creation of locker rooms at the field location that allows for community gatherings and equipment storage.

Revival of ecosystems through planting of mangroves.

Construction and adaptation of space available to community for team activities.

Provide seed capital, machinery and entrepreneurship trainings to community leaders to learn to process plastic waste as a business.

Education on Environmental Sustainability and Sports

Sport-based education sessions promoting climate action and environmental protection.

Regular environmental activities including mangrove planting and solid waste collection.

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.

ENABLING LEADERSHIP

adidas and Common Goal are supporting the international organisation Enabling Leadership to deliver the Play for the Planet project in the Dharwad District and surrounding communities in Karnataka, India. Launched in 2011, the initiative uses football-based learning to develop life skills, leadership and environmental awareness among children. By combining sport, education and community engagement, this popular programme demonstrably strengthens confidence, teamwork and responsibility.

KEY INFO

Location:

DHARWAD REGION, INDIA

MOVE FOR THE PLANET YEAR:

2024

sport focus:

FOOTBALL

impact areas:

CLIMATE ADAPTED SPORTS INFRASTRUCTURE RESTORED IN 6 RURAL SCHOOLS, PAIRED WITH LEADERSHIP & ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION

THE CHALLENGE

In India, many children are enrolled in government schools where the opportunities to develop life skills and learn about environmental issues are limited. As part of the project, climate-adapted sports infrastructure was restored in six rural schools, paired with leadership and environmental education. These improvements help schools and local communities adapt to changing climate conditions such as heavy rainfall, erosion and extended dry periods.

INFRASTRUCTURE TRANSFORMATION

As an example, at GHS Kalakeri – a co-educational school serving for grades 8 to 10 – work is underway to level the large playing fields at the front of the campus. The initial phase involves flattening and compacting the soil to create a surface that can withstand heavy rainfall and channel excess water into a nearby lake serving the local village. Surrounding the field, the planting of saplings represents a longer-term initiative. These trees will provide shade and shelter over time, as well as help prevent soil erosion. Students at the school are actively involved in caring for the saplings, ensuring they grow into healthy, mature trees. This tree-planting effort supports multiple objectives: it enhances the local ecosystem, strengthens climate resilience, and creates a more sustainable environment for the school and the wider community. Moreover, at DPEP Mugad, located 45 minutes from GHS Kalakeri, the playground, field and landscaping work has been completed, and the school and wider community are already benefiting from the improvements.

EDUCATION AND EMPOWERMENT

Alongside infrastructure upgrades, students learn about waste management, recycling and sustainable resource use. A strong focus on gender inclusion ensures that girls and boys participate equally, fostering leadership and empowerment through mixed sports activities. adidas and Common Goal will continue to support Enabling Leadership and the Play for the Planet initiative in 2026 - with a focus on developing climate–adapted infrastructure for rural schools and providing environmental education alongside sports activities.

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.

Learn More