12.29.2004 ET

(CSRwire) BEAVERTON, OR - Nike, Inc. and the Nike Foundation today announced that they are collectively donating emergency cash totaling $1 million ($500,000 from Nike, Inc., $500,000 from the Nike Foundation) to four relief organizations providing aid to the victims of the largest earthquake to strike the globe since 1964, causing devastating tsunami waves that have killed more than an estimated 77,000 in Southeastern Asia and Eastern Africa.

Beneficiary agencies are:

Northwest Medical Teams
14150 SW Milton Ct.
Tigard, OR 97224
800-959-HEAL (4325) or 503-624-1000
http://www.nwmti.org


"The resulting loss of life in Southeastern Asia and Eastern Africa is a tragedy for humankind," said William D. Perez, President and CEO of Nike, Inc. "Relief agencies have told us their most immediate need is for cash to support their on-the-ground operations. As a company of nearly 25,000 people doing business around the world, we will seek to do more to help in the coming days and weeks. The process of rebuilding communities will be lengthy and require more from all of us in the future."

"The full impact of this tragedy on humankind will not be known for many weeks. Immediate action is critical to help people whose lives have been devastated. Cash is what is needed most by relief agencies," said Maria Eitel, President of the Nike Foundation. "We encourage people to support the work of relief organizations helping those suffering from tragic loss with an immediate, online donation."

Impact on Nike Employees and Operations

Preliminary reports as of December 29 are that all direct Nike Southeast Asia employees have thus far been accounted for. Nike, Inc. will continue to assist Nike employees in locating missing family members, both those on holiday and those based in the affected regions, and is saddened to report a few known casualties of employee relatives at this time. With Nike's European headquarters in The Netherlands closed for the holidays, the company may not know the full extent of the impact on its employees and their relatives until early January.

A complete assessment of impact to inventory and future workflow orders is under way, however, initial information indicates minimal impact. Contract factories making Nike-branded products do not appear to be directly impacted by this disaster and are developing their own philanthropic outreach.

Nike employees from all over the world have been inquiring how they can support relief efforts. Nike is encouraging employees to make immediate cash donations to the four agencies listed above and has developed an employee intranet site with daily updates and to solicit employees for ideas about a further response.



NIKE, Inc. based in Beaverton, Oregon is the world's leading designer, marketer and distributor of authentic athletic footwear, apparel, equipment and accessories for a wide variety of sports and fitness activities. Wholly owned Nike subsidiaries include Converse Inc., which designs, markets and distributes athletic footwear, apparel and accessories; Bauer NIKE Hockey Inc., a leading designer and distributor of hockey equipment; Cole Haan® a leading designer and marketer of luxury shoes, handbags, accessories and coats; Hurley International LLC, which designs, markets and distributes action sports and youth lifestyle footwear, apparel and accessories and Exeter Brands Group LLC, which designs and markets athletic footwear and apparel for the value retail channel. For more information about Nike's philanthropic efforts, visit www.nikeresponsibility.com.

The Nike Foundation is Nike Inc.'s corporate foundation, an independent 501(c)3 non-profit. It works with key players to ensure policies, strategies and investments reflect the importance of the world's most disadvantaged girls to the future of our world.

For more information please contact:

Lee Weinstein , Nike
+1 (503) 671-3080

For more CSR news and information from this organization:

Corporate Social Responsibility Profile for Nike, Inc.

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