Nike the Sweatshop Debate Essay

Employees are required to annually verify that they have read and understand the standards. There is a confidential, toll-free Alertline that employees can report suspected violations of the law or the code of ethics. Nike expects there suppliers to do the same. This can better help make a positive work environment. Which make the employees more open to working

NIKE Inc. main headquarters are located in Beaverton, Oregon. Mark Parker leads the executive team of NIKE Inc. NIKE website says that, “Parker joined NIKE as one of our first footwear designers back in 1979, and he’s been at the center of NIKE innovation ever

Since the 1990s, Nike has been embroiled in controversy over its use of sweatshops. Including numerous media reports of workers earning very little an hour (14 cents per hour), and even workers abused by sub-contractor (Allarey, 2015). Incidents such as these are ingrained in Nike’s history and not quickly forgotten. However, as CEO I would like to attempt to correct wrongs.

Despite changes in the market environments, Nike has stuck to its decentralized and networked organization structure. Each business center of the company focuses on their operation like research, marketing, or production. The company has subcontracted its most crucial operation, which is manufacturing itself. Besides this, it had also outsourced several back office and non-executive jobs.

The highly recognized name brand—Nike— fails to notice the faults that are happening in factories that are violating a few disturbing rules. The company’s reputation has decreased due to demands and claims Nike; implying that they utilize sweatshops to produce more products at a lower pay. The company has been sued numerous times for abusing and exploiting their employees in factories for years. Another problem that Nike has faced throughout the years was making employees work in poor environments that affected the health of many— which contributed to being abused by the manager for not going to work. Nike distributes and sells merchandise of high quality for a high value. The company is giving the satisfaction of quality service to their

One major key component that allowed Nike to get to the elite status they are today would have to be the expectations they have for their employees. In their code of ethics book they clearly state on the fifth page that “every employee must reflect standards of honesty, loyalty, trustworthiness, fairness, concern for others and accountability” (NIKE Code of Ethics). These expectations of their employees shows how much Nike values its company, and it ensures every employee knows what is expected of them. None of these expectations has hindered Nike’s ability to get employees. Most, if not all, of Nike’s employees claim there’s a great work environment at Nike, which all starts with the expectations they put on them in the beginning.

Today Nike Inc is the largest manufacturer of sports footwear, apparel and equipment with worldwide revenue in excess of $25 billion in 2012 under various labels including Nike, Nike Golf, Converse and Hurley. Seventy percent of the company’s value is derived from footwear and apparel sold under the main brand Nike with Nike footwear commanding a market share

By joining a task force that helps promote fair labor practices, Nike is taking responsibility for its actions and showing the global market that is does take an interest in those working in the factory. This helps to alleviate any hesitation consumers may have with purchasing products made by Nike.

Conclusively Nike should be held responsible for its subcontractors. They are not completely responsible for this but they should be aware of it and as a influencial company they should impose what they call basic rights to their subcontractors and make sure that their rules are followed.

Nike has high expectations to their factory partners through evolving standards of their Code of Conduct that is a straightforward statement of values, intentions and expectations meant to guide decisions in factories. Nike’s Code of Conduct includes strict guidance about child labor, excessive overtime, compensation, forced labor, and freedom of association Nike (n.d).

Nike soon realized even though they have attempted to make changes within their subcontracting companies it has not been enough. Nike realized they have an ongoing obligation to the workers, as well to the different cultures that are involved. Nike implemented a process called The Compliance Generation, which involves increasing their business value by establishing the function, fighting fires, building a global team, and establishing partners. Employee management interaction making the work more systematic, building excellence in management audits, building environment, safety, and health global process, creating transparency, and creating ratings. Nike wants to have a transformational focus on building excellence in factory remediation, developing a sustainable sourcing strategy, building business integration and accountability, increasing contract factory ownership of corporate responsibility, and building industry conditions (Nikebiz, 2010).

NIKE, Inc. has a code of ethics for all employees called Inside the Lines. It defines the standards of conduct they expect employees to follow and includes a range of topics on employee activity, ethical behavior, product safety, legal compliance, competition and use of resources. Each year, all NIKE, Inc. employees are required to verify that they have read and understand Inside the Lines. NIKE, Inc. also operates a global toll-free line called Alertline for employees to confidentially report any suspected violations of the law or code of ethics. Any reported concerns around accounting, auditing or internal control are communicated to the Board’s audit committee, which determines appropriate action. Nike expects suppliers to share standards and operate in a legal and ethical manner. While Inside the Lines addresses the behavior of NIKE, Inc. employees, the Code of Conduct addresses contractors that manufacture Nike-branded products. It directs them to respect the rights of their employees and to provide them with a safe and healthy work environment.

They should be responsible for the legal, social and philanthropic aspects of its subcontracted factories. They are not paying their employees the legal minimum wage, caring about the working conditions and welfare of these employees and just not taking into consideration the well-being of others. Ten years ago, the company had been subjected to negative press, lawsuits, and demonstrations on college campuses alleging that the firm’s overseas contractors’ subject employees to work in inhumane conditions for low wages. With the introduction of the fair labour association and worker rights consortium, Nike is slowly trying to improve the working conditions on subcontracted factories and hopefully in 10 years, they would be able to re-establish themselves as a morally acceptable company.

Lastly, Nike can focus on factories workers’ first line of contact which is their immediate supervisors and managers (NikeManufacturing, 2016) to resolve the problem of exploitation of factories workers and unsafe working environment. Nike can implement an anonymous feedback system where all factories workers are to evaluate their immediate supervisors and managers. Nike can provide compensation of variable bonus such as monetary incentives to reward supervisors or mangers if they have good rating. This would motivate the supervisors and managers not to practice unethical

Nike took responsibility and created stringent benchmarks for production associations - the Code of Conduct (CoC). While CoC became a need and necessity as it was evident that there still was more to be carried out to direct and deal with the inventory network. Nike constituted the CR Board. It also disclosed the locations of the source factories and manufacturing plants. Nike took measures to match the expectations and published its progress reports. This signalled Nike’s tough stand against these issues and that Nike takes is very seriously to strictly adhere to the best practices and find the solutions. This has resulted into transparency. It has empowered Nike to better fathom the issues and shape more fitting