The Nike Black Community Commitment Is Headed to London

In the $140 million commitment announced in June 2020, Nike worked alongside a variety of partners with proven long-term success in addressing systemic racism. This included large-scale national partners, like the NAACP, as well as smaller grassroots partners in key cities who lead creative approaches to serving local communities out of an intrinsic understanding of their population’s needs. Lasting change needs a harmony of both strategies to work, and the success of the local approach prompted some important questions regarding the future of the BCC: How can this same focus be applied overseas? Which major cities would benefit from grassroots partnerships attentive to the specific needs of their Black communities, being mindful of the variety of those needs in each neighborhood? And how can Nike employees in those cities play a role in helping select the local changemakers and nonprofit organizations? It was time to take the learnings from the North American work and expand the vision abroad.

Inspired by the Black Community Commitment in North America, Nike launched the first international investment supporting the Black community in London. Why London? As a major global city, and one sharing a rich legacy with Nike, London represents an opportunity to use the passion, insights and direct involvement of Nike employees to advance equality for the city’s Black communities. Applications for the grant opened in late March 2021, and 15 grantees were chosen in the summer by a committee of diverse employees in the city. Grants from £5,000 to £20,000 were then delivered to the London nonprofit organizations to support projects for up to 12 months in any borough in the city, emphasizing work related to sport equity, education, mentorship, mental health and much more.

For Nike, following through on its commitment to the Black community is an important step in spurring action to create a better world. The company sees its ability to resonate uniquely within communities—even within boroughs—as a responsibility in the fight against systemic racism.

“As a London team, we are committed to serving our Black communities both internally and externally, which is why it was important for our Nike employees to be involved in this journey from the very beginning,” says Sarah Hannah, VP, Nike London. “I know I speak on behalf of all our London employees when I say that we are proud to be supporting these organizations in driving the necessary work they deliver daily to support our Black communities in London.”

As the projects develop from each of the 15 London grantees, the outcomes will help refine the company-wide grassroots strategy for serving Black communities across the world.

Ballet Black

In 2018, Ballet Black Junior School was expanded from Shepherd’s Bush to Marylebone to create further access to ballet classes and support young Black girls who are training to pursue careers in ballet. This grant enables the organization to offer more community classes for Marylebone children and support more young Black girls at a new branch in Westminster.

Project 4 Youth Empowerment

The grant will provide a holistic mentoring intervention to support and transform the lives of young Black people in Croydon who are excluded from the education system or employment due to behavior or criminal activity.

Elimu International Ltd.

Through a program called Elimu’s Launchpad, the grant will help fund a three-week entrepreneurship program for Lewisham youth, providing them guidance on financial literacy and business development through dedicated mentorship, group workshops, and access to a variety of local partners.

Young Steps Ltd.

Young Steps provides young Black girls from underserved areas in London access to health programs, educational services and poverty relief. The grant will expand the organization’s activities to the borough of Havering and help fund a new community mentorship program called “African Aunties.”