Nike’s ‘sustainability bloodbath’

Beat Check with The Oregonian

Many consumers want to do their part to slow down global warming and they’re flocking to companies that try to do less harm to the planet. Companies, in turn, love to claim they’re environmentally friendly, sustainable or carbon neutral. Because in a world battered by climate change, it’s not just morally right to fight climate change, it also pays off.

Nike, the world’s largest sports apparel brand, has been at the forefront of environmentally friendly commitments. The company has promised to significantly slash its emissions by 2030. It has touted innovations that would not only lessen its impact on global warming but also become a “powerful engine for growth” and an industry model.

But in December, Nike started slashing its sustainability workforce, leading to doubts about how the company can fulfill its carbon reduction pledges. Nike executives told The Oregonian the company remained committed to its sustainability goals and has made them everyone’s job.

On Beat Check, Matthew Kish, a business reporter who covers the apparel industry for The Oregonian, talked about why apparel companies like Nike are interested in sustainability, how they’re planning to fulfill their promises and why they may have trouble doing so.

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