Cause related marketing, is it truly an expression of a corporations social conciousness?
Nike are a company that hardly need any introduction, since their inception into the footwear market 30 years ago they have been one of the most recognizable faces in sports footwear and apparel. Their empire operates on six continents, and their suppliers, shippers, retailers and service providers employ close to 1 million people
As Nikki explained earlier, Nike are a company that purport to use cause related marketing effectively for profit as well as expressing their social consciousness. Their website displays quite clearly that while they are a large profit organization they are also aware of their role as a responsible employer and member of the global community which they are a part of. They have identified 3 causes that greatly benefit from Nike’s involvement or that Nike its self have actually implemented.
The first cause they are a part of is “Developing and investing in innovative solutions to the challenges of globalization faced by women and girls.” This cause is aimed at helping under developed countries where Nike has manufacturing factories and employees. They have helped this cause greatly by affiliating themselves with various organizations such as the Population Development and Community Association, Opportunity International, and the Vietnamese Women’s Union. In association with these organizations Nike funds micro-loans to Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam. Loans have reached more than 10,000 the majority or them are female borrowers in all 3 countries. With the assistance of these loans more than 3,200 rural women and former workers of Nike have created small business and some business owners are returning to expand their business with second and third loans.
Nike has also implemented an education initiative to provide opportunities for contract factory workers to receive a higher education. So far Nike has contributed 1.3 million to this initiative with 85% of their footwear factories offering education programs. This has also been implemented in Pakistan through the International Program on the elimination of child labor, which Nike works with to eliminate child labor from the soccer ball industry and placing more Pakistani children in schools.
In 1999 Nike joined with the International Youth Federation to form the Global alliance for Workers and communities. This focuses on improving working conditions and the long-term professional interests of Nike’s manufacturing employees throughout South East Asia.
The second cause Nike attaches themselves to is “increasing the participation of young people in physical activity to improve their lives”. This initiative has been implemented in many countries and continents such as Europe, Asia, Mexico, South Africa, Australia, Canada and Argentina. They have helped achieve this cause differently within each country, for example, in Mexico Nike refurbished Basketball courts in Hermosillo, Monterrey and Mexico City and supported indigenous sports. In Australia they initiated a program that takes elite athletes into the remote Aboriginal communities to help build self-esteem among indigenous youth by having the athletes spend time with the kids and talk to them about nutrition, health fitness and the dangers of substance abuse.
The third cause Nike is attached to is similar to the second [next page]