When we began looking into improving the sustainability of retail bags, we first awarded business only to printers that were third-party certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). At that time, FSC-certified paper was available but too costly. We encouraged printers to work on Nike's behalf to find acceptable FSC-certified materials.
Four years have passed since this process started, and we now source bags using 100-percent FSC-certified paper printed at FSC-certified printers using soy-based inks and distributed by an FSC-certified fulfillment company. The complete chain of custody allows Nike to use the FSC certification number and logo on all retail bags in North America and Singapore. We will roll other regions into the program as materials and providers are available.
We aim to tackle every addressable area to improve sustainability, including looking at angles not commonly assessed or addressed. In FY07-09 some areas we have improved include reduced energy waste in retail stores by adopting remote lighting management, reduced traffic and miles traveled by implementing a pooled distribution network and reducing long-distance shipping by finding a body form supplier who uses sustainable materials and delivers from manufacturing plants located near Nike centers.