Nike plans to publish open “sustainability” data

Nike, the world’s largest sportswear manufacturer, plans to make data relating to the sustainability of its operations publicly available via the web.

In a recruitment ad for an open data “fellow” to lead the programme, the company said it is looking for someone with “the skills, passion and know-how to use data and technology to solve problems standing between business-as-usual and a sustainable future”.

“The fellow will help Nike determine the steps needed to open our sustainability data to communities of data-obsessed programmers, visual designers and researchers,” the ad reads.

The successful candidate will be responsible for “the creation of prototypes that demonstrate how opening Nike’s sustainability data can be a force to drive change.”

The ad does not specify what constitutes ‘sustainability data’. However, in a corporate social responsibility report published last year, the company acknowledged that the working conditions in the factories where its trainers are made is a key sustainability issue.

The report, which outlined its CSR activities from 2007 to 2009, described transparency as “a central component to a responsible business strategy”. It said it was working with suppliers to make their supply chain operations, the factories they use and the working practices at those factories more transparent.

Avatar photo

Ben Rossi

Ben was Vitesse Media's editorial director, leading content creation and editorial strategy across all Vitesse products, including its market-leading B2B and consumer magazines, websites, research and...

Related Topics