Posted on by Bernard Corden

Bad ’air day

Bad ’air day

imageNike, Inc. is an American multinational corporate behemoth and growth company, which uses the religion of sport in a furtive attempt to move the world forward. The organisation proselytises an equitable and sustainable future, where everyone thrives on a healthy planet and level playing field. This elysian paradise is reinforced via a symbolic and puritanical statement from its chief executive officer, which is littered with Bernaysian corporate hogwash masquerading as truth in an insatiable quest for moral rectitude. Irrespective of the commodity, the common objective of global conglomerates is to maximise profit and socialise loss, which is the established standard or creed that inspires contemporary corporate culture. 1–8

During the 1990s Nike attracted significant adverse publicity, which was influenced by the Situationist International movement and included extensive criticism from Canadian activist Naomi Klein. It was directed at its extremely rapid growth, escalating profits and use of alternative manufacturing facilities in developing countries with the callous exploitation of vulnerable workers, especially women and children. The initial corporate response was to disregard its common law duty of care and it received unequivocal support from the Mises Institute, an extreme right libertarian and anarcho-capitalist institute. 9–17

Following mass protests and campaigns from humanitarian activists and advocacy groups, Nike eventually responded by developing a code of conduct and monitoring conditions at manufacturing facilities. However, even established and well respected organisations such as the International Occupational Health Commission are usurped by multinational corporate interests and reports suggest the process is merely a veneer of respectability. It indicates the conglomerate has engaged in a race to the bottom and significant concerns regarding the integrity of factory surveys or inspections have since emerged. Indeed, manufacturing has been relocated to underdeveloped nations without any labour standards or legislation covering health, safety or environmental obligations. The company takes its name from the Greek goddess of victory and despite the rhetoric on sustainability, there is only one winner in its culture of casino capitalism. It is somewhat paradoxical but in 1861 President Lincoln delivered a speech to a joint session of congress, which proclaimed labour was superior to capital and merits much more appreciation.

Indeed, in the current Safe Work Australia strategy its vision advocates healthy, safe and productive working lives and states…..It has been shown that good work health and safety improves long term business productivity. The Safety Institute of Australia is even more mercenary and proclaims its vision is for safe and healthy people in productive workplaces. This would surely conflict with any code of ethics, if it had one…………O say can you see by the dawn’s early light. What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming. 18–36

 

1. Nike, Inc. [Internet]. Wikipedia. [cited 10 September 2018]. Available from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nike,_Inc.

  1. Nike, Inc. is a Growth Company. [Internet]. Nike, Inc. [cited 10 September 2018]. Available from: https://investors.nike.com/Home/default.aspx
  2. Purpose Moves Us [Internet]. Nike, Inc. [cited 10 September 2018]. Available from: https://sustainability.nike.com/
  3. A letter from Mark Parker [Internet]. Nike, Inc. [cited 10 September 2018]. Available from: https://sustainability.nike.com/ceo-letter
  4. Executives [Internet]. Nike, Inc. [cited 10 September 2018]. Available from: https://about.nike.com/pages/executives
  5. Edward Bernays [Internet]. Wikipedia. [cited 10 September 2018]. Available from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Bernays

  6. Friedman M. The Social Responsibility of Business Is to Increase Its Profits [Internet]. Springer Link. 1970 [cited 10 September 2018]. Available from: https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-540-70818-6_14

8. St. Clair J. Born Under a Bad Sky. Consortium Book Sales & Dist; 2008. Available from: https://store.counterpunch.org/product/born-under-a-bad-sky-by-jeffrey-st-clair/

9. Nike sweatshops [Internet]. Wikipedia. [cited 10 September 2018]. Available from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nike_sweatshops

  1. Situationist International [Internet]. Wikipedia. [cited 10 September 2018]. Available from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Situationist_International
  • Klein N. Naomi Klein – No logo [Internet]. Naomi Klein. [cited 10 September 2018]. Available from: http://www.naomiklein.org/no-logo

  • Rothenberg-Aalami J. Coming full circle? Forging missing links along Nike’s integrated production networks [Internet]. Blackwell Publishing. 2004 [cited 10 September 2018]. Available from: http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/content/BPL_Images/Journal_Samples/GLOB1470-2266~4~4/097.PDF

  • Wilsey M, Lichtig S. The Nike Controversy [Internet]. Stanford.edu. [cited 10 September 2018]. Available from: https://web.stanford.edu/class/e297c/trade_environment/wheeling/hnike.html

  • Duty of care [Internet]. Wikipedia. [cited 10 September 2018]. Available from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duty_of_care

  • Mises Institute [Internet]. Wikipedia. [cited 10 September 2018]. Available from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mises_Institute

  • Right-libertarianism [Internet]. Wikipedia. [cited 10 September 2018]. Available from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right-libertarianism

    • 17. Anarcho-capitalism [Internet]. Wikipedia. [cited 10 September 2018]. Available from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anarcho-capitalism

    18. Casey-Sawicki K. Seattle WTO protests of 1999 [Internet]. Encyclopaedia Britannica. [cited 10 September 2018]. Available from: https://www.britannica.com/event/Seattle-WTO-protests-of-1999

    1. Worker Rights Consortium [Internet]. Wikipedia. [cited 10 September 2018]. Available from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Worker_Rights_Consortium
  • Murphy D, Matthew D. Nike and Global Labour Practices A case study prepared for the New Academy of Business Innovation Network for Socially Responsible Business [Internet]. Bollettinoadapt. 2001 [cited 10 September 2018]. Available from: http://www.bollettinoadapt.it/old/files/document/5281NGLP_2009.pdf

  • Huff J. Industry Influence on Occupational and Environmental Public Health. International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Health [Internet]. 2007;13(1):107-117. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/51391444_Industry_Influence_on_Occupational_and_Environmental_Public_Health

  • ICOH [Internet]. International Occupational Health Commission. [cited 10 September 2018]. Available from: http://www.icohweb.org/site/homepage.asp

  • Pemberton N. Burn Your Nikes? How About Boycott Them Instead [Internet]. Counterpunch. 2018 [cited 10 September 2018]. Available from: https://www.counterpunch.org/2018/09/07/burn-your-nikes-how-about-boycott-them-instead/

  • Keady J. Documentary I Nike Sweatshops: Behind the Swoosh 2018 [Internet]. Youtube. 2018 [cited 10 September 2018]. Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlE-Jz177eY

  • Bain M. Nike is facing a new wave of anti-sweatshop protests [Internet]. Quartz. 2017 [cited 10 September 2018]. Available from: https://qz.com/1042298/nike-is-facing-a-new-wave-of-anti-sweatshop-protests/

  • Egilman D, Bohme R. Over a Barrel: Corporate Corruption of Science and Its Effects on Workers and the Environment. International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Health [Internet]. 2005;11(4):331-337. Available from: https://caps6218.org.au/app/uploads/2017/07/Corporate-Corruption-of-Science-and-Its-Effects-on-Workers-and-the-Environment-1-10-05.pdf

  • St Clair J. Nike’s Bad Air [Internet]. Counterpunch. 2018 [cited 11 September 2018]. Available from: https://www.counterpunch.org/2018/09/10/105150/

  • Segran E. Escalating Sweatshop Protests Keep Nike Sweating [Internet]. Fast Company. 2017 [cited 11 September 2018]. Available from: https://www.fastcompany.com/40444836/escalating-sweatshop-protests-keep-nike-sweating

  • Nike (mythology) [Internet]. Wikipedia. [cited 11 September 2018]. Available from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nike_(mythology)

  • Purpose Moves Us [Internet]. Nike, Inc. [cited 11 September 2018]. Available from: https://sustainability.nike.com/

  • Lincoln on the relationship between labor and capital [Internet]. Mr. Darrell’s Pin Factory Economics, for rational people and rational students. 2012 [cited 11 September 2018]. Available from: https://molinaeconomics.wordpress.com/2012/02/17/lincoln-on-the-relationship-between-labor-and-capital/

  • Grayson A. Lincoln: “Labor Is the Superior of Capital” [Internet]. Huffpost. 2012 [cited 11 September 2018]. Available from: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/rep-alan-grayson/lincoln-congress-speech-_b_1127058.html

  • Abraham Lincoln and Labor [Internet]. World History. 2017 [cited 11 September 2018]. Available from: https://worldhistory.us/historical-biographies/abraham-lincoln-and-labor.php

    • 34. Australian Work Health and Safety Strategy 2012–2022; p. 5. [Internet]. SafeWork Australia. 2012 [cited 28 April 2017]. Available from: https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/system/files/documents/1702/australian-whs-strategy-2012-2022.pdf

    1. Vision and values [Internet]. Safety Institute of Australia. [cited 11 September 2018]. Available from: https://www.sia.org.au/about/vision-and-values

    36. Scott Key F. Star spangled banner lyrics [Internet]. Genius. [cited 11 September 2018]. Available from: https://genius.com/Francis-scott-key-star-spangled-banner-lyrics

    Bernard Corden

    Do you have any thoughts? Please share them below