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How Nike’s Diversity Efforts Made It a Trump Target
The New York Times • • business
Key Points:
- Andrea Lucas, an EEOC commissioner appointed by President Trump, sent a 26-page memo in May 2024 alleging that Nike systematically discriminated against white employees and job applicants through diversity targets and layoffs of white executives.
- Lucas argued that if race influenced Nike's employment decisions, including training programs, the company violated federal law, prompting her to file a charge that initiated a civil-rights investigation into Nike.
- Nike, known for its strong public commitment to diversity in advertising and workforce, became a focal point for Lucas’s enforcement efforts as she rose to chair the EEOC.
- The EEOC has historically investigated discriminatory hiring and promotion practices while also supporting employers’ efforts to increase diversity, but Lucas’s probe into Nike signals a shift toward scrutinizing diversity initiatives themselves.
