Nike has made some of the most aggressive promises of any company when it comes to reducing its carbon footprint. “It’s about leading with actions, not words,” as CEO Mark Parker put it in 2019. “We are more committed than ever to helping save the planet,” CEO John Donahoe said in 2022. The problem is that an investigation by ProPublica and the Oregonian points to a major discrepancy between the above words and actions: Use of the company’s two private jets – “which emit far more carbon dioxide per passenger than commercial aircraft” – is increasing, leading to a nearly 20% increase in carbon dioxide emissions last year compared to 2015, the report says.
One major factor appears to be Donahue’s commute between the company’s Oregon headquarters and his home in California’s Bay Area. Nike’s Gulfstream jets frequently fly to the region — more than 100 in his first 3.5 years at Nike — and sometimes land for less than half an hour before flying back to Oregon. It suggests Donahue was picked up and flown back to the company’s headquarters, although Nike did not make him or Parker available for interviews. Other flights were to Cape Cod, where he owns another home, or were related to personal travel for which he reimburses the company.
“In the current climate, where aviation does not yet have a viable path to full decarbonization, we need to bring these types of flights to a halt,” says Phillip Ansell, director of the Center for Sustainable Aviation at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. The article highlights the general trend of increasing use of private jets by corporate executives and celebrities like Taylor Swift, despite the environmental impact. In fairness to Nike, the company’s jet emissions disclosure is more transparent than its competitors. Read the full story. (Or read other detailed summaries.)
