Adidas denies allegations against anti-poverty organizations and says it meets standards

The British "Daily Telegraph" reported that workers in Adidas's garment processing plant in the suburbs of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, need to work 10 hours a day, 6 days a week, and the average worker's weekly wage is 10 pounds (about 15 US dollars). ).

On July 16, Adidas issued a statement saying that its China factory in Cambodia did not produce clothing for any Olympic officials or any athletes. The Olympic products produced at the factory were limited to the sports fan series apparel produced by the franchise.

On July 14, the British "Daily Telegraph" reported that Adidas, one of the largest sponsors of the London Olympics, paid only £10 a week (approximately $15) to Cambodian garment factory workers who produced licensed products for the London Olympics. The salary is currently under investigation by the London Olympic Organizing Committee.

According to the report, workers in Adidas’ garment processing plant located in the suburbs of Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, need to work 10 hours a day and work 6 days a week. The average weekly wage for workers is 10 pounds (about 15 US dollars).

The London Organizing Committee for Olympic Games once signed an agreement with the manufacturer of Olympic products: It requires the Olympic sponsors to provide workers with adequate basic living security wages. "Labour Behind the Label" stated that Adidas' wage treatment to Cambodian workers violated this agreement.

A spokesman for the London Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games said in an interview with the media that the Olympic Organizing Committee attached great importance to the allegations and will investigate the matter.

In its July 16 statement, Adidas stated that its China factory in Cambodia did not produce clothing for any Olympic officials or any athletes. The Olympic production of the factory was limited to the franchise of sports fans.

The statement also stated that “we are in line with the standards of the London Olympic Organizing Committee. The monthly average wage of the factory is 130 US dollars, far exceeding the minimum wage standard, and the factory’s monthly employee turnover rate is 3.5%.”

The statement also emphasized that "the entire industry has agreed to activate the maximum subsidy in Cambodia since September and we will ensure that our suppliers pay the increased salary."

Adidas once again strongly denied the allegations of anti-poverty organizations. Adidas stated that the three-month media coverage of Indonesia’s wages quoted by the organization was completely inaccurate. Those factories’ hourly pay was nearly double that of the reference. And to be thoroughly clarified, Adidas did not produce the British team's costumes in Indonesia and only produced a very limited number of Olympic products.

Similarly, the Playfair survey highlighted by anti-poverty organizations also has some inaccuracies. Of the 10 factories mentioned in the report, only four produced Adidas Olympic licensed products. In fact, Adidas has ceased cooperation with one of these factories since January 2008.

It is reported that Adidas contacted anti-impoverished organizations on two occasions respectively, hoping to discuss these old allegations, but so far no reply has been received from the other party.

Adidas said that "anti-poverty organizations seem more interested in adopting interference strategies than discussing these issues with us."

The statement concluded by saying, "We also urge anti-poor organizations to respect facts rather than fiction."