An investigation into Ye’s behavior calls for a time of introspection at Adidas

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by Lindsey Francy Nov 25, 2022 News
An investigation into Ye’s behavior calls for a time of introspection at Adidas

After Ye went on an anti-semitic rant, the German sportswear brand ended their relationship. The brand had begun reviewing the partnership earlier that month but only took action after many other brands severed ties.

An anonymous letter made several allegations against Ye after he co-designed sneakers with Adidas.

The company said in a statement that it was not clear if the accusations made in an anonymous letter were true. We have decided to launch an independent investigation of the matter to address the allegations.

Adidas announced the probe after a Rolling Stones story

Rolling Stone published a report detailing several alleged incidents of inappropriate behavior by Ye towards staff and prospective employees. It included excerpts from an open letter penned by prominent former members of the Yeezy team, which alleges the musician used intimidation tactics with the staff that were provocative, frequently sexualized, and often directed toward women.

Several employees gave accounts of their work. One complaint is that Ye showed executives porn, which was filmed in a 30-minute documentary uploaded toKanye West'sYouTube last month. Ye made interviewees uncomfortable with private photos of KimKardashian and berating employees.

Adidas ignores complaints from employees, they say.

Quotable: Yeezy employees question Adidas’ inaction

“If there was any case to defend the executive team’s inadequate action, aside from being beholden to shareholders, it appeared as if they simply didn’t know what to do or say in those jarring moments, or how to handle Kanye without further triggering him, or act in a way that didn’t jeopardize their position or the partnership. So instead, the board members and the executive team turned their moral compass off by ignoring both Kanye’s inflammatory public behavior and the Yeezy team’s complaints regarding troubling partner dynamics.” —open letter, “The Truth About Yeezy: A Call to Action for Adidas Leadership,” as seen by Rolling Stone.

Yeezy staff want Adidas to step up scrutiny

It is not just Ye who needs to be held accountable, according to the former employees.

Adidas has questions to answer after turning a blind eye to the problematic behavior. The letter states that the company lacked responsibility and accountability in protecting their employees. An investigation by the Wall Street Journal found that employees' concerns were not taken seriously.

The Adidas staff want the brand to create contracts with A-list partners and immediately end their behavior. They want the company to apologize to the former staffers.

How lucrative Yeezy is, by the digits

There will be $2 billion in the year 2021.

8% is the amount of Adidas' overall sales.

Adidas net operating income guidance has been revised to 250 million from 500 million.

300 million is saved by changing the sneaker line.

There were employees who lost their jobs.

Person of interest: Bjørn Gulden

Adidas is changing their guard. The CEO of Adidas will be dealing with the aftermath of the association. The Ye challenge is likely to be Gulden's biggest headaches to date, as he has had some run-ins with celebrity controversies, like the backlash for using reality TV celebrityKylie Jenner in a running campaign.

Related stories

It was time for Ye to go.

Ye is no longer at Adidas.

Adidas hired a new HR chief after being accused of racism.

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