Nike is under investigation by the Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise (CORE) for claims that it used forced labour of Uyghurs in the People’s Republic of China.
According to CORE’s initial evaluation report, NIKE Canada has employed or has benefited from the use of Uyghur forced labour in its supply chains or operations in the nation. The sporting brand responds to the investigation by assuring that it is no longer associated with the businesses that are allegedly involved in the claim.
The investigations were started as a result of complaints made in June 2022 regarding the foreign operations of 13 Canadian firms by a coalition of 28 civil society organisations.
Ombudsperson Sheri Meyerhoffer said, “I have decided to launch investigations into these complaints in order to get the facts and recommend the appropriate actions.”
In the next weeks, the CORE will release the Initial Assessment reports in respect to the accusations against the final 11 companies. In a long-running lawsuit over shoe design infringement with German rival Adidas, the US Supreme Court last month declined to hear Nike’s appeal.
