Network Club - Today's Advice

Today’s Advice

Sports Manufacturers to Focus on Diversity
By Wendy Eisenhart

Nike has recently begun a corporate diversity division in an effort to enhance the company while providing an environment that allows everyone to work at their maximum level of efficiency and full productivity. "What we're trying to do," says Ron Williams, director of diversity for Nike, "is focus on getting the best and the brightest talent from all groups and then have an environment that's conducive to get the best out them."

In Ron's opinion, the sports and fitness industries lag far behind many other industries when it comes to diversity. So far the industry has not been able to establish a workplace with a level of diversity to match that of its marketplace.

As it has in so many other areas of the industry, Nike plans to be a leader in the area of diversity. "This is an initiative that is designed to enhance our company and give it a definitive advantage. Now, as a residual benefit of what we're trying to do, when other people hear of or see what we're accomplishing here, I'm sure, due to the nature of how the industry appears to work, they'll follow the leader," says Ron.

He attributes the low level of diversity partially to a lack of awareness but also notes that the industry has been close-knit and people have not been comfortable with others who are different.

"For people of color the problem has been access into the industry. I think for females, it basically has been ascending within once they get in. From a standpoint of awareness, I think that there are going to be increased opportunities for people of color, as well as females in relationship to entry into Nike, and hopefully, advancement once they are in," he adds.

Other companies such as Reebok and Adidas America have been attempting to diversify the workplace for quite some time. Reebok's Diversity / Urban Affairs Department has been in existence for several years.

John Fread, public relations director for Adidas America says that because Adidas started out as a global company seventy years ago and still sends many employees to offices in different countries, there isn't as great a need for an actual diversity program at Adidas. John feels that employees at Adidas learn about and work with various other people and cultures on a day-to-day basis with the company. However, Adidas does do a lot of work with minorities on the grassroots level. The company works extensively with the Arthur Ashe Foundation's Safe Passage, a program to bring tennis to the inner city and also works with the Foundation's ABC's program for education through tennis.