Nike Is Looking Through The Lens of Social Innovation To Improve Our World
Nike released its annual sustainability report this month, which reveals that the brand sees social innovation as central to its good business practice to improve itself as a company and put it to good use for the planet. The report looks into the short, mid-and long-term strategy the company has for the future. It gives us a real insight into how this big brand is thinking and shows that it understands that big businesses will be swept aside by emerging social enterprises unless they start changing their business models and contribute more to society. I am pretty sure this thinking of Nike is reflective of the corporate world right now and how they are viewing the future.
Nike has grown up in the last decade. It used to be brand known for all that was bad about globalisation: paying its workers peanuts; sweatshop conditions; environmental shortcuts and over-priced products. Now, it talks about how it wants that breakthrough moment with its approach to corporate responsibility. It understands that it's about striving for the best, creating value for the business and social innovation for a better a world. It is seizing the opportunity to drive business growth, build deeper consumer and community connections, and create positive social and environmental change.
Nike wants to operate in completely new ways (and is doing so), making sustainability integral to its social innovation and performance. It is using the latest buzz words - 'collaboration'; 'social engagement' and 'transparency'. Crucially, this company is thinking ahead and wants to find solutions to the many natural resources that will become increasingly scarce and which will drive up competition and cost.
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Sangeeta Haindl is a staff writer for Justmeans on Social Enterprise. When not writing for Justmeans, Sangeeta wears her other hat as a PR professional. Over the years, she has worked with high-profile organizations within the public, not-for-profit and corporate sectors; and won awards from her industry. She now runs her own UK consultancy: Serendipity PR & Media.
