Social Media Guidelines — Adidas

Our employer is easy to identify with and all of us are very passionate about what we do on a daily basis.

At the adidas Group we believe in open communication and you are encouraged to tell the world about your work and share your passion. Whether you do so by participating in a blog, wiki, online social network or any other form of online publishing or discussion is completely up to you.

However, these new ways of communication are changing the way we talk to each other and even to our consumers, target audiences and partners.

In order to avoid any problems or misunderstandings, we have come up with a few guidelines to provide helpful and practical advice for you when operating on the internet as an identifiable employee of the adidas Group and its brands.

First, please familiarize yourself with and follow the adidas Group Code of Conduct and the Global Policy Manuals

Identify Yourself

When you discuss adidas Group- or brand-related matters on the internet, you must identify yourself with your name and, when relevant, your role at the adidas Group.

Only very few people in this company are official spokesperson for the Group or its brands, so if you are not one of them you must make clear that you are speaking for yourself and not for the Group.

Please always write in the first person and don't use your company email address for private communications. And please consider that even anonymous postings on Wikipedia can be traced back to the company.

Responsibility

You are personally responsible for the content you publish on blogs, wikis or any other form of user-generated media. Please remember that the internet never forgets. This means everything you publish will be visible to the world for a very, very long time. 

Common Sense

Common sense is a huge factor here. If you are about to publish something that makes you even the slightest bit uncomfortable, review. If you are still unsure and it is related to the adidas Group and its brands, talk to your manager or Corporate Communications (please find contacts below).

Just because information is on the internal network (like the adiweb, das-net or Vision Asia), it is not ok to let the rest of the world know about it.

If an item features the sentence "for internal use only" then that is exactly what it means and it is absolutely not meant to be forwarded to anyone who is not employed by the adidas Group. No exceptions.

Messages from our CEO to all employees are not meant for the media. If we as a company wanted a newspaper to know how our CEO sees the future of our Group, the PR department would call them up and tell them.

It is perfectly fine to talk about your work and have a dialogue with the community, but it is not okay to talk about the design or name for the new World Cup ball months before its official launch. If you have signed a confidentiality agreement you are expected to follow it. If the judgement call is tough on secrets or other issues dis- cussed, please ask your manager before you publish or forward. Please act responsibly with the information you are entrusted with.

No Comment

Do not comment on work-related legal matters unless you are an official spokesperson, and have the legal approval by the adidas Group or its brands to do so.

In addition, talking about revenues, future products, pricing decisions, unannounced financial results or similar matters will get you, the company or both into serious trouble. Stay away from discussing financial topics and predictions of future performance at all costs.

Respect

Respect your audience.

Don't use ethnic slurs, personal insults, obscenity, or engage in any conduct that would not be acceptable in the adidas Group's workplace. You should also show proper consideration for others privacy and for topics that may be considered objectionable or inflammatory (like religion or politics). If you are in a virtual world as an adidas Group representative please dress and behave accordingly. We all appreciate respect.

Consider Consequences

Think about consequences.

Imagine you are sitting in a sales meeting and your client brings out a printout of a colleague's post that states that the product you were about to sell "completely sucks". Talk about a tough pitch. So, please remember: Using your public voice to trash or embarrass your employer, your customers, your co-workers or even yourself is not okay — and not very smart.

Have you posted something that just wasn't true? Be the first to respond to your own mistake. In a blog, if you choose to modify an earlier post, make it clear that you have done so.

Copyright

Please respect copyright. If it is not yours, don't use it. It is very simple. It is that per- son's choice to share his or her material with the world, not yours. Before posting someone else's work, please check with the owner first.

Don't cite or reference clients, partners or suppliers without their approval. When you do make a reference, where possible, link back to the source.

Representing the Group

Be aware that others will associate you with your employer when you identify yourself as such. Please ensure that your Facebook, Linked-in, Xing or MySpace profile and re- lated content is consistent with how you wish to present yourself with clients and col- leagues.

Even if you act with the best intentions, you must remember that anything you put out there about the adidas Group can potentially harm the company. This goes for all internal media as well, like the intranet or any newsletters you send out.

As soon as you act on the company's behalf by distributing information, you are upholding the company's image. Please act responsibly. If in doubt, please contact the Corporate Communications Team or your manager before you hit the send button.

And finally. With all the blogging and interacting, don't forget your daily job.