NIKE, INC. | Report on Political Contributions Disclosure

Status
30.53% votes in favour
AGM date
Proposal number
4
Resolution details
Company ticker
NKE
Lead filer
Newground Social Investment, SPC
Resolution ask
Report on or disclose
ESG theme
  • Governance
ESG sub-theme
  • Lobbying / political engagement
Type of vote
Shareholder proposal
Filer type
Shareholder
Company sector
Consumer Discretionary
Company HQ country
United States
Resolved clause
RESOLVED: That the shareholders of Nike, Inc. ("Nike" or "Company") hereby request that the Company provide a report, updated semiannually, to disclose the Company’s:

1. Policies and procedures for making contributions and expenditures (direct or indirect) with corporate funds or assets: (a) to participate or intervene in campaigns on behalf of or opposing any candidate for public office, or: (b) to influence any segment of the general public with respect to an election or referendum.

2. Monetary and non-monetary contributions and expenditures (direct and indirect) used in the manner described in section 1 above, including:

a. The identity of the recipient and the amount paid to each;

b. The title(s) of the person(s) in the Company responsible for decision-making.

This report, which does not encompass expenditures on lobbying, shall be presented to the board of directors or relevant board committee and posted on the Company’s website within 12 months from the date of the annual meeting.
Supporting statement
Especially since the 1/6/2021 insurrectionist attack on our nation’s Capitol, transparency and accountability for political speech and actions are paramount. Nike recognized this when it announced its PAC will not support any member of Congress who voted to decertify the Electoral College results.

Long-term Nike shareholders support transparency and accountability in corporate electoral spending. This should encompass any activity considered intervention in a political campaign under the Internal Revenue Code, such as: (a) direct and indirect contributions to political candidates, parties, or organizations, and: (b) independent expenditures or electioneering communications on behalf of federal, state, or local candidates.

Disclosure is in the best interest of both the Company and shareholders. The Supreme Court recognized this in its 2010 Citizens United decision, which states: “[D]isclosure permits citizens and shareholders to react to the speech of corporate entities in a proper way. This transparency enables the electorate to make informed decisions and [to] give proper weight to different speakers and messages.”

Public records show Nike has spent more than $3.15 million in corporate funds since the 2010 election cycle (CQMoneyLine: http://moneyline.cq.com; National Institute on Money in State Politics: http://www.followthemoney.org).

However, public data does not begin to paint a complete picture of a company’s electoral spending. For example, Nike’s payments to trade associations and other tax-exempt “Dark Money” groups – that can be easily and secretly diverted into election-related activities – are undisclosed and are unknown. This proposal asks Nike to disclose all its electoral spending – including payments to trade associations and other tax-exempt organizations – which may be used for electoral purposes. This would bring our Company in line with a growing number of leading companies, including Coca-Cola, Microsoft, Mondelez International, and Kellogg, which present this information on their websites.

The Company’s Board, shareholders, and American democracy need comprehensive disclosure to properly evaluate the use of corporate assets in our electoral process.

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