Executives at Nike’s US office would “get sloppily drunk” and exploit female subordinates, unsealed exhibits from a gender discrimination suit company claimed in 2018 — shedding new light on the alleged “boys club” culture practiced at the sportswear giant is issued.
The series of documents, which were unsealed last month, contain shocking, anonymous reports from female employees who worked at the company’s Oregon headquarters, alleging sexist attitudes and behavior by company officials.
The reports — including a woman’s recollection of going to a campus gym and finding an executive receiving oral sex from a female subordinate and one being told by male colleagues to “dress sexier” — come from thousands of handwritten pages and typed surveys and employee interviews.
Her release comes amid a lawsuit against the company by 14 female employees alleging gender discrimination in its Oregon office, filed less than four months after reports surfaced that Nike employees were offering such surveys.
The complaints, presented to then-CEO Mark Parker — now Nike’s executive chairman — apparently fell on deaf ears, as the company didn’t address the concerns until the lawsuits were filed four years ago.
The complaints, presented to then-CEO Mark Parker — now Nike’s executive chairman — apparently fell on deaf ears, as the company didn’t address the concerns until the lawsuits were filed four years ago
The documents, which date to 2018, detail how female employees at the company’s Beaverton headquarters felt either unsafe or abused in the office, and even expressed a belief that Nike management was unlikely to address their concerns .
The anonymous surveys of the unnamed women – who are not among the 14 plaintiffs who filed the lawsuit – allege how they were subjected to sexual advances and lewd comments from male executives, as well as insinuations and innuendoes that hinted at sex.
In a survey obtained by , an employee wrote that she had been told by male colleagues to dress “sexier”, with the employee recalling being encouraged to “show some skin” on several occasions.
“Maybe I’d be on time if you dressed smarter,” the interviewee recalled when told by an executive. “Take off that baggy jacket and show some skin.”
Her release comes amid a lawsuit against the company brought by 14 female employees alleging gender discrimination at its Oregon office in Beaverton (pictured), filed less than four months after reports surfaced that Nike employees were offered surveys
Another claimed certain executives were widely known among office workers as repeat offenders, calling them “known womanizers” who used their “influence and power” to attack lower-level employees.
In one of the most disturbing entries, a female employee recalled seeing a male executive at the company’s gym receiving oral sex from a low-ranking woman.
Another claimed that “sloppy drunk” men would hug female colleagues or take them to “work lunches” to discuss their careers or projects they were working on, only to be offered sex instead.
The documents, which date to 2018, detail how female employees at the company’s Beaverton headquarters felt either unsafe or abused in the office, and even expressed a belief that Nike management was unlikely to address their concerns
‘| have twice reported bullying by a senior vice president, and HR said they “look into it,” “we coach them,” the respondent wrote, adding that she saved copies of emails to HR that ultimately never answered.
“I have friends who have reported bullying,” the woman wrote. ‘Nothing was ever done except, ‘We will speak to them’.”
She also recalled “a Nike VP” bragging to her about sleeping with a female employee in a closet in the Oregon office during work hours.
The series of documents, which were unsealed last month, contain shocking, anonymous reports from female employees who worked at the company’s Oregon headquarters, alleging sexist attitudes and behavior by company officials
Another interviewee quoted a male executive as saying, “No one cares about female empowerment” – while another noted that Nike is a “huge men’s sports team where favoritism reigns supreme and women can’t possibly play in the sandbox.”
The women reportedly never reported the incidents, believing they would not be taken seriously. One woman wrote, “(employee resources) and HR at this company are a joke,” one woman wrote in a survey.
“Women at this company have very little power to change a culture and environment that has been, and still is, disrespectful of women,” added another employee.
The woman, who was told to “show skin,” noted that she “kept it to me because of who.” [the unspecified senior staffer] is with the company.’
The polls began circulating around the office in 2018, as female employees became increasingly fed up with alleged abuse, alleged gender pay gaps and the company’s handling of past grievances.
In total, several dozen surveys were collected, but only 10 made it into court documents related to the current case, which was filed by 14 former or current employees, including former employees Kelly Cahill and Sara Johnston, both from the company’s US office retired in 2017.
The polls came four years after Cahill and Johston’s case — which are demanding a payback and reinstatement at the company, while claiming that Nike violated the Equal Pay Act. They are supported by 12 others who share the same sentiments.
A judge denied Nike’s request to keep the contents of the surveys sealed, leading to their unsealing last month.
Parker, Nike’s current CEO, received the surveys in March 2018, Insider reported. At that time he was CEO of the company. Days after receiving the polls, Parker announced a management reshuffle, resulting in at least 11 senior executives leaving the company just before the lawsuit was filed.
At the time, he apologized to employees in an email.
Parker, Nike’s current CEO, received the surveys in March 2018, Insider reported. At that time he was CEO of the company. Days after receiving the polls, Parker announced a management reshuffle, resulting in at least 11 senior executives leaving the company just before the lawsuit was filed
Parker wrote: “Over the past few weeks, we have become aware of reports within our organization that do not reflect our core values of inclusivity, respect and empowerment.
The lawsuit, which was denied class action status earlier this year, is ongoing.
The plaintiffs, meanwhile, intend to appeal the ruling, their lawyers say, claiming the problems at Nike are systemic and not limited to a few senior employees.
“It wasn’t confined to an industry or a department,” said Laura Salerno Owens, the case’s lead counsel. “It wasn’t limited to one manager. This was a shared experience across the company.’
Nike appears to have since taken steps to increase women’s representation at the company’s top levels, with three women – Sarah Mensah, VP/GM of North America; Amy Montagne, VP/GM for Asia Pacific and Latin America – now leads the company’s geographic regions. All were discontinued after the survey’s reports first surfaced in 2018.