Adidas Group – Creating Diverse Shortlists

The Background

A four year old corporate procurement function leading all areas of indirect spend in a highly decentralised organisation where the awareness of corporate procurement at market level was poor and where savings were behind projection. Our brief was to find a new VP of Procurement who had a strong background across indirect in a multi brand consumer goods environment – and crucially a track record of operating successfully in a non-mandated environment. There was also a requirement to provide a gender balanced shortlist in line with the organisation’s commitment to diversity, particularly in view of endorsement agreements with many leading female athletes.  

Our Approach

We ran a mapping exercise across the consumer goods sector concentrating on those which had decentralised operating models. We also placed a particular focus on utilising our networks of groups which focus on developing female talent such as ‘Women in Procurement’. We then presented the client with a full overview of the senior procurement market, set a minimum target of 50/50 gender balanced approaches and ran competency based interviews to ensure a fully balanced and objectively presented shortlist.

The Outcome

A successful appointment with a female candidate who had been the CPO of a mid-sized pharma company and who had also had previous experience within a multi brand consumer goods environment. A big focus of her previous role had been the realignment of the procurement function with the business, leading to a significant improvement in stakeholder satisfaction – so an ideal fit for the role.