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Rabat – Adidas has initiated a rigorous investigation into its operations after receiving a detailed complaint from a whistleblower, the Financial Times reported on Sunday.
The probe comes in response to damning allegations of widespread bribery in China.
The complaint, purportedly authored by individuals identifying as “employees of Adidas China,” accuses senior officials within the company of orchestrating embezzlement schemes amounting to “millions of euros.”
The allegations implicate several Chinese Adidas employees, including a high-ranking manager responsible for overseeing the country’s hefty marketing budget of €250 million ($267.5 million) annually.
Headquartered in Germany, Adidas confirmed the reception of an anonymous letter on June 7, citing a potential breach of compliance law.
In response, the sportswear giant has engaged external legal advisors to conduct a thorough investigation into the matter.
In a formal statement issued to Reuters, Adidas emphasized its commitment to upholding legal and ethical standards across all markets.
“Adidas takes allegations of possible compliance violations very seriously and is clearly committed to complying with legal and internal regulations and ethical standards in all markets where we operate,” the statement read.
The company clarified that further details would be withheld pending the completion of the ongoing investigation.
The allegations outlined in the whistleblower’s letter suggest that Adidas employees in China may have received kickbacks from external service providers who were contracted by the company.
The kickbacks reportedly include substantial sums of cash as well as non-monetary benefits such as real estate.
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