Nike told The Oregonian Friday afternoon that it would donate $1 million to relief efforts in Japan, plus an additional $250,000 worth of footwear and apparel for disaster victims.
Some of the cash donation will be funneled through Architecture for Humanity, a San Francisco-based nonprofit that taps into a network of architects for their assistance in creating communities, especially in devastated areas like parts of Japan. The group also assisted Haiti following its earthquake and New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.
Other cash recipients will be decided later, said Mary M. Remuzzi, director of Nike global corporate communications. The footwear and apparel may be distributed through Japan's Defense Department, she said.
"We've been in Japan for a long time," Remuzzi said. "It's a big community for us. We have a long-time commitment there and this is a further commitment to that end."
Nike has about 26 contract factories in Japan, mainly producing products for consumption in that country. The company employs hundreds in Japan.
And while Oregon is the birthplace of Nike, its global roots are deepest in Japan.
Phil Knight, co-founder of the company that now employs more than 36,000 people worldwide and more than 6,000 in Oregon, first visited Japan in 1962. He traveled throughout the country. On a lark, he visited Onitsuka Co., Ltd., the Kobe-based company that made Tiger-brand running shoes. And on the spot, Knight formed a distribution partnership between Onitsuka and Nike's forebear, Blue Ribbon Sports.
On Thursday, Nike president and chief executive officer Mark Parker, spoke about Japan at the outset of the company's quarterly earnings report:
"Before we get into today's results, I think it's important to acknowledge the incredible challenges going on in Japan. Like many of you, I've good friends there and Nike has many teammates who are dealing with this devastating event.
"And if you knew nothing about the Japanese people before last week, they've certainly shown what the term grace under pressure really means. Thankfully, all of our employees are accounted for and safe, and we're working with relief agencies to assist however we can. But I know I speak for everyone on this end of the call when I say our thoughts and prayers are with Japanese people."
--Allan Brettman
From Oregonlive.com
Some of the cash donation will be funneled through Architecture for Humanity, a San Francisco-based nonprofit that taps into a network of architects for their assistance in creating communities, especially in devastated areas like parts of Japan. The group also assisted Haiti following its earthquake and New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.
Other cash recipients will be decided later, said Mary M. Remuzzi, director of Nike global corporate communications. The footwear and apparel may be distributed through Japan's Defense Department, she said.
"We've been in Japan for a long time," Remuzzi said. "It's a big community for us. We have a long-time commitment there and this is a further commitment to that end."
Nike has about 26 contract factories in Japan, mainly producing products for consumption in that country. The company employs hundreds in Japan.
And while Oregon is the birthplace of Nike, its global roots are deepest in Japan.
Phil Knight, co-founder of the company that now employs more than 36,000 people worldwide and more than 6,000 in Oregon, first visited Japan in 1962. He traveled throughout the country. On a lark, he visited Onitsuka Co., Ltd., the Kobe-based company that made Tiger-brand running shoes. And on the spot, Knight formed a distribution partnership between Onitsuka and Nike's forebear, Blue Ribbon Sports.
On Thursday, Nike president and chief executive officer Mark Parker, spoke about Japan at the outset of the company's quarterly earnings report:
"Before we get into today's results, I think it's important to acknowledge the incredible challenges going on in Japan. Like many of you, I've good friends there and Nike has many teammates who are dealing with this devastating event.
"And if you knew nothing about the Japanese people before last week, they've certainly shown what the term grace under pressure really means. Thankfully, all of our employees are accounted for and safe, and we're working with relief agencies to assist however we can. But I know I speak for everyone on this end of the call when I say our thoughts and prayers are with Japanese people."
--Allan Brettman
From Oregonlive.com
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