Using sport to improve the lives of young people around the world, adidas have joined forces with Common Goal, pledging one percent of their global net sales from footballs to the charity until 2023, aiming to positively impact 90,000 lives and make the game more inclusive for all.
Football has the ability to improve lives across the world. But for that to happen, brands and companies need to make moves – moves like that of Adidas, who have announced a long-term partnership with Common Goal to help drive lasting social change for under-served communities, creating a better and more inclusive future through football.
Common Goal was launched in 2017 when a single player, Juan Mata of Manchester United and Spain, committed to pledge 1% of his salary to a collective fund that invests in high-impact community organisations that use football to empower young people. The collective has grown to almost 200 players and managers, including Serge Gnabry, Pernille Harder, Paulo Dybala, Timo Werner, Casey Stoney MBE and Jurgen Klopp. To date, over €3M has been generated by the movement and invested in football-based charities that support the United Nations Global Goals.
Jürgen Griesbeck, CEO and co-founder of Common Goal said: “This partnership with adidas represents a shift in the football industry. Social impact has moved to a high priority for football stakeholders. adidas has shown its leadership in investing in Common Goal and together we can scale and accelerate football’s contribution towards the Global Goals. We believe that anything is possible if we work together as one team.”
In the initial three-year period of the partnership, adidas and Common Goal will support grassroots community organisations across the globe, via a network of 140 high-impact football NGO’s in 90 countries. The aim is to directly impact 90,000 lives through a series of projects and strategic focuses concentrated on removing inequality, improving access, and working towards greater gender parity. These projects include:
- Global Goal 5 Accelerator – creating a world where every girl has the opportunity to develop her full potential
- Anti-Racist Project - to end racism in football: on the field, on the sidelines, in the front office and across our communities
- Play Proud – making grassroots football organisations, programmes, and communities around the world inclusive for LGBTQ+ communities.
- Global Goal 16 Impact – empowering young people to shape their communities and play a key role in creating peaceful and inclusive societies.
Manchester United player and adidas athlete, Juan Mata, co-founded Common Goal in 2017, helping to mobilise a movement that has grown to now include well over 200 members and fellow professionals. He said of today’s announcement:
“I’ve been a part of the adidas family for many years and with Common Goal from the very beginning, so this collaboration is very special. This partnership will help us to use football as a force for good and come together to try and tackle social issues as one. This is really only the start. For me, team play is the most important thing and through solidarity, empathy and effort, I believe that anyone can reach their goals. Our ambition is to make Common Goal the biggest football club in the world, where everyone is welcome.”
adidas has also committed significant resources to storytelling and content production that will bring to life the social impact of the partnership, alongside a strategic investment that will allow adidas to support Common Goal’s greater ambition to positively change 100 million young lives by 2030, amplifying its work through the brand’s global footprint.
To join adidas and Common Goal at the starting line, fans can purchase a football at adidas.co.uk/balls for their 1% to be contributed toward social change causes.
