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Topics
- Business Growth / Strategy / Trends
- Corporate Culture & Governance
- Corporate Social Responsibility
- Moderator / Facilitator
- Social Responsibility
- Sustainability
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Kathy Varol Purpose Strategy Expert; Former Head of Global Purpose Strategy at Adidas
Kathy built the global purpose strategy for Adidas, a 22-billion dollar company. Now Kathy shares her knowledge with audiences on how to embed a purpose into their company to stand out in a competitive environment, attract the best talent, drive employee engagement, gain enviable consumer loyalty, and fully harness the innovative brainpower of their employees.
Kathy is called a “force for change” and a “transformative storyteller.” The global purpose strategy Kathy built for Adidas encompassed everything Adidas does to positively impact people and the planet, including:
- A holistic sustainability strategy that further established adidas as a leader in retail sustainability, and inspired an army of loyal brand advocates to join a movement to end plastic waste.
- An impactful social equality strategy that provided access to sport for girls around the globe, developed new products, and initiated bold corporate actions to stand against inequality (including equal bonus pay for Women's World Cup winners, and supporting the fight for racial justice in the USA).
- A progressive Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) strategy that fostered a culture of inclusion, collaboration, and continuous improvement with internal processes, metrics, and accountability.
This Global Purpose strategy created impact. A thorough assessment by S&P in 2021 awarded adidas an ESG score of 85, placing the company among the top 10% rated by S&P Global Ratings.
Kathy started her career as a bright-eyed idealist, joining the Peace Corps straight out of college. Along her journey, the idealist combined with her inner strategist, creating a catalyst for good. Now Kathy has 20 years of experience in brand marketing, strategy, and impact, working at established brands like adidas, MillerCoors, and Microsoft.
Kathy is a sought-after speaker, Purpose Strategy Expert, and CSR & ESG consultant who has spoken and led workshops around the globe. She shares her knowledge with audiences on how to embed a purpose into their company in order to transform their culture, their business, and impact the world.
Kathy also hosts the “Purpose and Profit” podcast, where she interviews some of the most innovative business leaders using business as a force for good. The “Purpose and Profit” podcast is rated in the top 2.5% of podcasts globally.