Nike is being probed by the US Government over claims it discriminated against its white staff.
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), a federal agency enforcing workplace discrimination laws, has demanded records from the firm dating back to 2018.
Court documents allege Nike engaged in “a pattern or practice of disparate treatment against white employees”.
The subpoena requests information such as the data on the race and ethnicity of employees and whether such information influenced executive pay, layoffs, and career development opportunities.
EEOC has compelled Nike to produce information about discrimination against white workers which may have been caused by its "Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion-related 2025 Targets and other DEI-related objectives”.
In a statement, the firm said it was “committed to fair and lawful employment practices”.
“We believe our programmes and practices are consistent with those obligations and take these matters seriously," it added.
“We will continue our attempt to cooperate with the EEOC and will respond to the petition.”
PICTURED: Nike's 'woke' St George's Cross on England's Euro 2024 shirt. The sportswear maker is under investigation over its DEI policies
| PAEEOC Chair Andrea Lucas said the organisation will take all steps “including subpoena enforcement actions” when a company’s DEI programmes violate federal law against racial discrimination.
He added: “Title VII’s prohibition of race-based employment discrimination is colorblind and requires the EEOC to protect employees of all races from unlawful employment practices.
“Thanks to President Trump's commitment to enforcing our nation’s civil rights laws, the EEOC has renewed its focus on evenhanded enforcement of Title VII.”
In 2024, the sportswear maker laid off 1,600 employees. The EEOC is investigating if white employees were unfairly targeted in the process.
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U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Chair Andrea Lucas poses for a portrait in her office in Washington, DC
|REUTERS
Nike has said it has delivered thousands of pages of information to the EEOC in response to its inquiries, and are in the process of providing more.
It has also argued the investigation should be dropped - as the federal agency previously supported their policies.
The EEOC, founded in 1964 as part of the Civil Rights act, has taken aim at DEI initiatives since Mr Trump came into his second term in office.
Mrs Lucas previously said many workplace programmes potentially violate US laws, and encouraged white workers to come forward with complaints.
Nike is being probed by the US Government over claims it discriminated against its white staff
|GETTY
Mr Trump appointed her to the EEOC in 2020, and named her acting chairwoman last year.
She told the New York Times her goal was to undo the “aggressive focus by DEI activists” under the Joe Biden White Hluse.
EEOC investigations are usually prompted by complaints brought forward by workers, but Nike’s stems from a “commissioner’s charge” initiated by Mrs Lucas directly.
The US Government is similarly investigating Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance, who said the complaint against the company was too broad.