OPPapers.com

Nike

We begin with a well-documented analysis of the Nike Corporation whose Green Wash came to light when their contracted Ernst & Young Environmental Audit of a Nike sneaker plant was released to the public. Nike is a transorganization, a network of 450 subcontracting factories, NikeTown outlets, subcontracts to FootLocker and numerous other outlets, contracts with sports teams to wear Nike logos and apparel, including contracts with university athletic programs. Nike employs 450,000 workers of which 85% are women.
We also look at Intel in New Mexico, McDonalds and other cases involving Green Wash. In each case, as public exposure brought the Green Wash practices to public attention, the corporation did attempt to move from Green Wash to Green, with varying degrees of success.
Each case appears to follow the following steps toward Green Enlightenment, from denial, Green Gloss (the second stage of Green Wash) to awareness, acquisition, to actual implementation of Green Accounting. In short, a transition from functionalist environmental (denial, risk limitation, and green wash) accounting to green accounting practices.
Response 1--Denial-Head in Sand "Not our problem"

Response 2 --Green Gloss (Green Wash) - Public relations Campaigns "We Just Do it"

Response 3 --Strategic awareness - Minimal Compliance Internal managerial recognition of need for environmental change

Response 4 --Strategic Acquisition - Proactive --Voluntary environmental audit -- such as hiring environmental audit firms.

Response 5 --Flagship Implementation-Understands Sustainability--Change core mission to include green goals and set up a green program
FIRST CASE: NIKE - This is a case study of Nike Corporporations' awakening to the need to use Green Environmental Accounting (EA). The Nike Corporation now reports on its web site that it has implemented Green EA practices to deal with key Environmental Problems:
Water pollution
Energy use
Shoe Recycling
Ozone depletion...