In the era of carbon offsets and corporate responsibility, companies have become accustomed to using charitable donations to solve public relations problems. But given that these companies wield so much influence and shape our daily lives in unprecedented ways, we must remember that integrity matters more than empty words. It won’t.
One example is Adidas’ decision to sell off its unsold Yeezy sneakers, which Kanye West was able to profit from despite a series of gross anti-Semitic comments last year. The Yeezy brand became a profitable base for Adidas and was hailed as his most successful sportswear collaboration since Michael Jordan partnered with Nike. Despite formally severing ties with the rapper over West’s ugly anti-Semitic comments, the German sportswear company recently continued to stock Yeezy sports shoes and earmarked a portion of the proceeds for West’s comments. He announced that he would donate money to organizations representing people who were hurt by the incident. .
Adidas CEO Björn Gulden called it “the best solution.” [Ye’s] The designs created and the shoes produced will work for your employees, solve inventory problems, and have a positive impact on your community. “Hate of any kind has no place in sports or society, and we remain fully committed to fighting hate,” Gulden added.
It’s a noble statement, but the devil is in the details. Especially when that decision enriches the man who pushed Jew-hatred into the mainstream.
Adidas has not disclosed what percentage of the proceeds will be donated when it sells the inventory, whose value has soared in recent months. The bottom line is that by selling sneakers, Adidas is likely to increase its own profits.
You will definitely lead to his improvement. This rapper has already earned more than $ 25 million in just one day of sales. The windfall comes in the face of claims that the company has severed ties with creative sources over unacceptable comments. Mr. Ye did not apologize for his comments, which included threats such as “I love Hitler” and “sentence death to Jews,” but he weakly insisted he was not affiliated with any hate group. .
Let me state the obvious: You do not need to be associated with hate groups to spread hatred and contribute to the horrific rise in anti-Semitism in this country.
Adidas, in its pursuit of ever-increasing market share and profits, has forgotten that there are things worth more than money. It also sent a message that it was okay to profit from anti-Semitism, reinforcing the idea that a certain amount of fame, talent, and popularity can buy social immunity for malicious wrongdoing.
There’s no denying that excess inventory and losses can be a major challenge for businesses trying to maintain profitability. Pressure to increase profit margins and satisfy shareholders often clouds judgment. Still, it is essential to maintain a firm commitment to principles that go beyond the bottom line.
So it’s disheartening to see companies crafting eloquent public relations statements supporting their values and principles, only to abandon them when money is at stake. When principles are sacrificed on the altar of economic gain, businesses come dangerously close to the treacherous waters of moral bankruptcy. A company’s reputation and credibility are not built solely on carefully crafted statements of intent. True integrity lies in the actions and choices we make when faced with dilemmas.
Adidas could use this moment to meaningfully raise awareness about the evils of anti-Semitism and other forms of hate that plague historically marginalized communities. For example, the company could donate its shoes to artists to redesign them into art or fashion that asks people to walk in the shoes of people who are subject to discrimination and prejudice.
The burden of combating hate cannot rest solely on the shoulders of targeted and harassed communities, nor can we solve the problem through public relations campaigns and empty actions. It requires a sustained commitment to systemic change and a real effort to commit resources to that effort.
Adidas may have found itself at the center of a public relations storm through no fault of its own, but it now has the power to decide for itself what happens next. Now is the time to take a meaningful stance against anti-Semitism.
Aviva Klompas is the CEO and co-founder of Boundless and can be found on Twitter @AvivaKlompas.
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