Nike employees are campaigning against plans to move its kids' daycare center to a space off campus
- Nike runs a subsidized, on-site children's daycare program for employees of its headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon. More than 500 families are using this service.
- According to a new report from Bloomberg, it plans to shut down this daycare center and open a new, larger facility 10 minutes away from campus to accommodate growing demand.
- Some employees aren't happy about the move, however, and have signed a petition to keep it on campus.
- Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.
Nike is planning to close its children's daycare center and open a larger facility nearby to keep up with increased demand but some employees aren't too happy about it.
According to a new report from Bloomberg, a petition urging Nike to reconsider its plans has more than 1,300 signatures. Employees have also emailed CEO Mark Parker and COO Eric Sprunk to voice they concern.
The so-called Nike Child Development Program is a subsidized on-site children's daycare service that is offered to its employees. It is considered to be one of the most valuable perks at Nike, according to Bloomberg, was set up in 1990, and now has three facilities across its HQ in Oregon. These centers currently accommodate more than 500 families but a further 500 are on a waitlist.
In a bid to accommodate the growing demand, Nike made plans to close the center and open a new and larger facility, run by new partner Endeavour Schools, in a new location that it promises would be just 10 minutes away.
But some employees are furious that the facility could be moved off campus, according to emails viewed by Bloomberg, which were sent to Parker and Sprunk.
A spokesperson for Nike did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment.
According to Bloomberg, COO Sprunk responded to one employee's complaint via email, saying: "We aim to make all of our benefits inclusive... [that] includes providing this benefit to the more than 500 families who can't take advantage of it today. I would ask you to also consider the experience from the lens of the parents who have been on the waitlist."
But several employees told Bloomberg that around 130 parents who are currently on the waitlist, or had tried to get a spot but never got in, also signed the petition.
Some employees said that the decision to move the daycare center is symbolic of its failure to adjust its corporate culture, which "at best ignores the professional stress faced by women in particular," Bloomberg wrote.
Last year, Nike came under scrutiny after several leading executives left the company amid reports of a problematic work culture. In April, The New York Times published an investigation based on interviews with 50 current and former employees who highlighted instances of alleged sexism and gender discrimination at the company.
Nike crowned 2019 the year of women, rolling out a women's focused ad campaign featuring tennis player Serena Williams and launching new innovation in womenswear.