Story at a glance
- Nike brands pledged $40 million over four years to social justice organizations following protests calling attention to systemic racism and police brutality.
- The company has previously donated to multiple humanitarian organizations.
Nike athletic company announced on Friday that it will commit $40 million over the next four years to support the black community in the U.S., as protests condemning police brutality and institutional racism following the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police continue across the country.
The donation will be focused on investing in organizations dedicated to eradicating racial inequality and promoting social justice and education.
“Systemic racism and the events that have unfolded across America over the past few weeks serve as an urgent reminder of the continued change needed in our society. We know Black Lives Matter. We must educate ourselves more deeply on the issues faced by Black communities and understand the enormous suffering and senseless tragedy racial bigotry creates,” John Donahoe, President and CEO of Nike said in the statement.
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The company, which also owns Converse and Jordan brand, underscored its previous efforts to support humanitarian organizations domestically and internationally, reporting having invested $417 million over the past five years. Some of the recipients include the Jackie Robinson Foundation, the Human Rights Campaign, MENTOR and Girl Effect.
Regarding black organizations specifically, Nike states it has issued $500,000 in grants to 20 nonprofits, namely BLOOM Alliance, Harlem FC and New Fit. It also says it donated more than $27 million in additional funding to sport and mentoring organizations that help communities of predominantly underprivileged black youth.
The press release also states that within the company, Nike has increased its effort to hire a more diverse workforce.
“The NIKE, Inc. family can always do more but will never stop striving to role model how a diverse company acts. We will continue our focus on being more representative of our consumers while doing our part in the communities we serve.”
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