Karma United: How Danish Sports Brand hummel Wants to ‘Change the World Through Sport’

This case is targeted at bachelor students, starting their first semester studies and serving as an introduction to responsible management. The case focuses on the Danish sportswear brand, hummel International, and starts out by introducing the reader to Dan Bjerg, the 'Karma Developer' and his work with the company’s philanthropic activities. Moving on, the case describes the history of hummel and its turnaround in the 1990s from near bankruptcy. The leadership style in hummel International, 'Company Karma', is outlined and links are made to the general concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR). The company’s CSR activities are described focusing both on former and current projects (eg sponsorship of the Tibetan national football team and the women’s Afghan football team). At the same time, the case addresses the challenges in relation to supply chain management in a global market and highlights the importance of ensuring ethical standards within the supply chain. The case enables a discussion of whether hummel International should continue its commitment to Company Karma or place greater attention on ensuring responsible supply chain management. On that basis the students are encouraged to developed specific suggestions in relation to internal management and external communication. The case it predominantly based on interviews with key persons within hummel International.