Last week, as we recognized International Day of Persons with Disabilities, we're reminded of our opportunity at NIKE to influence, innovate, and build a more inclusive and sustainable future of sport. Initiatives such as GameOn, our yearlong career pathway program, invites passionate athletes of all abilities to gain real-world experience at our world-renowned campus in Beaverton, Oregon. It’s just one of many ways we’re increasing awareness and championing the importance of inclusion. Because if you have a body, you are an athlete. And every athlete deserves their shot.
Welcome back, Elliott Hill!
At Nike, community is an open invitation. Our eight NikeUNITED employee-led networks are a huge part of that, and invite in all teammates, whether or not they directly identify with the network’s background. This month, Nike’s Ascend Network is organizing a packed week at our World Headquarters in Beaverton, Ore., including a block party and a cricket clinic, teaching the fundamentals of one of the world’s most popular sports. The Ascend Network includes teammates with roots in Asia, the Middle East and the Pacific Islands, and any Nike employee can join the celebration. That impact is far reaching. Take it from EJ Kim, a Senior Merchant for Global Men's Running Footwear at Nike, who wants all employees to know they can find a new, supportive community in Ascend. “I’m grateful to be part of the Ascend Network in a leadership capacity and be able to organize events that celebrate and bring awareness to our diverse cultures,” says EJ. “I’ve had the opportunity to show up as my most authentic self at Nike. Our network encourages and inspires others in our community to do the same.”
When Nike’s employee networks mobilize around a cause, they create change that ripples from the inside out. That concept is nothing new for Taya Saxton, a Director of Cross Functional Sustainability at Nike. Taya served over four years in the Air Force, and she’s worked at Nike for almost a decade now, helping lead the company’s supply chain strategy to become more environmentally responsible. As a member of the leadership team on Nike’s Military Veterans and Friends Network (NMV), Saxton and her colleagues saw another opportunity to spearhead: helping shape a paid leave program for Nike’s military employees. “A consistent trait among our military friends is the resolve to find a way, even if you don’t know something,” says Taya. “When I was on active duty in the Air Force, I was immediately placed in an aerospace program. I knew nothing about satellites. But I didn’t have another option. I needed to hunker down and start learning. You find that commitment inside of every Nike military veteran.” The network drafted a detailed proposal for the leave program in 2017, eventually presenting to the company’s senior leadership. The support was resounding. A year later, Nike introduced its military leave program, giving employees who volunteer or are called back to the uniformed services up to 12 weeks of paid time off every 12 months.
The disability experience is the human experience. With that belief, we’re celebrating Global Accessibility Awareness Day with our Accessibility Center of Excellence and the Employee Disability Network proudly co-hosting our second annual Accessibility Summit, a two-day event on Nike’s World Headquarters campus in Beaverton, Ore. At NIKE, Inc., the Accessibility Summit provides opportunity and space to build community, support teammates and demonstrate how accessibility has been and will continue to be a sharp point of innovation in product and in the employee experience. “Nike’s culture of innovation is fueled by curiosity and gaining insights from a diverse disability perspective to create the future of access to sport, fashion and self-expression for all," says Megan Lawrence, PhD, Sr. Director of Global Accessibility and the host for the summit. “Nike is a company that values diverse ways of thinking and new ideas to drive innovation through the lens of inclusion.”
“I’m entrusted to feed these girls, to give them a place to live. Nike stepping in to help changed everything.” That’s Mary Ngugi, one of Kenya’s most decorated distance runners, on the partnership between Nike and Nala Track Club, which helps give young Kenyan women the holistic support they need for a healthy, supportive running camp experience. Read more about how Mary and Nike are changing lives, one runner at a time.
“There are still so many stigmas around motherhood, especially through the lens of sport,” says Fanny Yung Ho, Nike Senior Manager, Design Innovation. “Our team asked ourselves, how do we break down those barriers? How do we celebrate motherhood more?” The answer: the Nike (M) Swoosh Bra — the brand’s first nursing sports bra that’s compatible with wearable breast pumps, allowing mothers to unlock movement without compromising comfort or support. The bra has proprietary Nike hardware that helps ensure the clips stand up to lunges and burpees while pumping, along with offering easy access for nursing and adjustability for up to two full cup sizes. “With this bra, we want to empower women to say, ‘Here I am — I’m pumping, I’m moving, I’m proud to be a mom, I’m proud to be an athlete, and I can be both at the same time,'” says Ho. Learn how Ho and the Nike innovation team pulled off designing the bra during the height of the pandemic.
To help protect the future of sport, we aren't holding back — we're setting ambitious sustainability targets across our entire business, and we're making progress right now. Take a look at a few of our biggest, boldest sustainability stats here, and check out the latest Nike Impact Report to learn more about how we're bringing planet-minded innovations to scale.
Last week marked the opening of the first Jordan World of Flight store in China, located in the thriving area of Beijing TaiKoo Li Sanlitun. You’ll feel it as soon as you walk through the doors: Jordan World of Flight Beijing Sanlitun is the highest expression of basketball culture. Helping lead the store’s opening last week was Cynthia Chen, Senior Head Coach of Jordan World of Flight Beijing Sanlitun. For Cynthia, the impression she wants to leave for fans who step into World of Flight isn’t just access to the most premium Jordan Brand streetwear and performance product. She wants those fans to feel a sense of connection with the store athletes who share their love for the game and the culture it drives. “Our store athletes here constantly inspire me,” says Cynthia. “Beyond being wowed by the store, it will be even more rewarding if visitors can picture our athletes’ faces and say, ‘I want to go to World of Flight to connect with someone who loves basketball culture too.’ That would give me a real sense of professional fulfillment.”
“This event was more than a moment. It was a movement. And the job’s not finished.” This February, four NIKE teammates immersed themselves in the “Path to Progress” event in Washington D.C., an inspiring celebration of the milestone fourth year of NIKE’s Black Community Commitment (BCC). One of them was the teammate quoted above: Nakiah Williams, a Nike Athlete Experience (NAX) Trainer in New York City. Over two days, Williams had the opportunity to listen in on a series of panel conversations highlighting the work and impact of BCC grantees, participate in a special tour of the National Museum of African American History and Culture and more. “The BCC is helping to create a new narrative for the Black Community,” says Williams. “As a Nike employee, and as a leader within our Black Employee Network, I live, work and volunteer in the same communities we’re serving through the BCC. We're working firsthand to create that same narrative for change. You can’t help but be inspired by our future when you’re surrounded by the fearless ones, the change agents and the storytellers from the BCC grantees and the Nike, Jordan, and Converse Social & Community Impact teams.”
