Nike’s DEI fight is no longer just a social media "culture war" argument. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is investigating Nike over allegations the company’s DEI practices discriminated against white employees and job applicants.
That is why Robert Netzly, CEO of Inspire Investing, says Nike is finally getting a message it can’t ignore. Nike tends to be "one of those companies that volunteers" for the activist role, Netzly told OutKick.
"Discrimination, whether it’s black people or white people, gay people or straight people, is discrimination," he said.
As OutKickpreviously reported, the EEOC announced in a court filing it is investigating Nike for what it calls ‘systemic allegations’ of DEI-related race discrimination against white employees and job applicants. The investigation stemmed from a 2024 complaint filed by EEOC Chair Andrea Lucas, according to reports.
Nike insists that it is cooperating and is surprised that the EEOC elevated the complaint from inquiry to investigation.
OutKick has alsoreported extensivelyon Nike’s involvement in a studyfocused on youth transgender athletes. Netzly said he views corporate participation in that type of project as wildly off-mission.
"I think it’s ridiculous that a business would get involved in issues like what you just described," he said. "It’s not relevant to selling sneakers and other sports apparel. They need to just focus on doing their business."
Netzly also said the public pressure point matters. When a company feels the heat, the "activism kind of goes away once public sentiment turns," as Nike demonstrated by backing off the transgender athlete study afterOutKick exposed it to the public.
Nike is facing an EEOC investigation tied to alleged DEI-related discrimination while Inspire Investing’s CEO argues shareholder pressure can push major brands away from political activism.
(Li Hongbo/VCG via Getty Images)
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