The Nike logo is seen in the Nike store on February 22, 2021 in New York City.
John Smith | Corbis News | Getty Images
Nike outlined a five-year roadmap for creating a more diverse and inclusive workforce, the company announced on Thursday, as corporate America is increasingly being held accountable for its values and the actions that go with them. .
For the first time, Nike said, it will also link its executive compensation to the company’s progress in deepening diversity and inclusion in its entire workforce, protecting the planet and promoting ethical manufacturing. He offered no further details, but said the compensation would be linked to the company’s achievement of its 2025 targets.
“We are proud of the successes we have seen, but we know that the work is just beginning,” said President and CEO John Donahoe in a letter addressing the five-year goals. “We are also redefining the appearance of responsible leadership.”
In describing the progress that Nike made in 2020, the tennis maker said that it increased the representation of women globally in its business to 49.5%, from 48% in 2015. Representation of racial and ethnic minorities, however, at the level of vice president in the United States States increased to 29% last year, from 15.9% in 2015. Nike also highlighted the fact that its group of interns in 2020 was the most diverse of all time, with 55% of its 310 interns being women and 49% representing racial and ethnic minorities.
By 2025, Nike said, the goal is to achieve 50% representation of women in its global corporate workforce (which does not include employees in retail stores and warehouses) and 45% representation of women in leadership positions (level VP and above). It is also aiming for 35% representation of racial and ethnic minorities in its workforce in the United States.
Nike also said it will invest $ 125 million over the next five years to support companies working to “level the playing field” and tackle racial inequalities.
Last year, after the assassination of George Floyd by a police officer in Minneapolis, Nike was one of several corporations that supported a social justice movement and pledged to serve communities with a more diverse workforce. In June, it announced a $ 140 million pledge on behalf of the Nike and Jordan brands, and former NBA star Michael Jordan, to support companies that help educate and promote black Americans.
“Our brand would not be what it is today without the powerful contributions of black athletes and black culture,” said Donahoe in the letter.
Nike has faced its share of criticism in recent years, however, for the way it treats black women and employees.
In late July 2018, he announced salary increases for more than 7,000 workers and promised to change and how he was giving annual bonuses to his global team in an attempt to address concerns about wage equity and corporate culture.
A year later, she began to revise terms of new contracts to support athletes during pregnancy, after being criticized for cutting salaries of some female stars with children.
Nike said its 2020 salary equity data revealed that for every $ 1 earned by men worldwide, women earned $ 1. And for every $ 1 earned by white employees in the U.S., racial minority employees. and ethnic groups also earned $ 1, he said.
In 2025, Nike is committed to maintaining 100% equal pay for all levels of employees on an annual basis.
Read the full Nike impact report here.