Nike CEO vows changes after claims of harassment, bias
Departures related to behavior will be completed soon.
The chief executive of Nike told employees that departures related to workplace behavior will be completed in the coming days, a move that sought to reassure a workforce jolted by allegations of misconduct and discrimination against women and gain closure on one of the most turbulent periods in the company’s history.
The comments by the executive, Mark Parker, at a companywide meeting Thursday, signaled Parker’s effort to end quickly the rumors and speculation of further managerial changes inside the world’s largest footwear and apparel company, which has already facilitated the departures or planned departures of six top male executives in recent weeks.
The New York Times obtained a recording of Parker’s 30-minute address to employees Friday. A company spokeswoman on Saturday provided a transcript of the speech.
Acknowledging that he and other top leaders at Nike had missed signs of discontent among some employees, Parker apologized to the workers gathered at the Tiger Woods Conference Center on Nike’s Beaverton, Ore., campus, as well as others watching by video hookup. He added that the company would make changes to compensation and training programs.
“I apologize to the people on our team who were excluded, and I apologize if some of those same people felt they had no one to turn to,” Parker said. “I want everyone at Nike to know their voices do matter and your bravery is making us better.”
Parker’s measured and occasionally meandering comments solicited little audible reaction, other than a round of applause after he thanked everyone who came forward with complaints. He made sure to touch on iconic company figures, including the co-founders Bill Bowerman, the former University of Oregon track coach, and Phil Knight, as well as Jeff Johnson, who was among the first employees, and the revered early testing lab in New Hampshire.
Employees received an email Thursday morning inviting them to the meeting but were not told the subject matter, according to a person with knowledge of the situation.
Parker’s remarks followed weeks of agitation inside Nike. Earlier this year, a group of women began an informal survey that sought input about discrimination and sexual harassment at the company.
It was presented to Parker on March 5, and ultimately led to an executive shake-up that included the announced departure of Trevor Edwards, the president of the Nike brand who was widely viewed as a potential successor to Parker, 62.