BERLIN (dpa-AFX) - Adidas will increase the number of black employees in its North American workforce and also increase the funding for black communities, amid recent protests over the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police.
'The events of the past two weeks have caused all of us to reflect on what we can do to confront the cultural and systemic forces that sustain racism', said adidas CEO Kasper Rorsted.
The German sportswear giant said it plans to fill at least 30% of new positions in the US at adidas and Reebok with black and Latinx people.
The initiatives come after black employees reportedly demanded more investment in the black community from the company.
The company will also announce a target aimed at increasing representation of Black and Latinx people within its workforce in North America.
The company said it will invest $20 million in black communities in the U.S. over the next four years.
The funding initiatives include adidas Legacy, a grassroots basketball platform built for underserved communities; the adidas School for Experiential Education in Design that creates career paths in footwear design; Honoring Black Excellence, an initiative honoring and supporting the Black community through sport.
The company will finance 50 university scholarships each year for black students over the next five years.
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