At Nike, alleged misconduct, a circling of wagons, and a leaked memo

Nike is playing it close to the swoosh-emblazoned vest regarding misconduct allegations against a top executive.

The sudden retirement of Trevor Edwards was accompanied by an internal memo from current CEO Mark Parker, which referenced improper conduct at the company but offered no specific details.

That memo was leaked to journalists, undercutting the company’s policy of not commenting publicly on employee matters.

So far, Nike has vaguely responded to media requests, perhaps in an effort to distance the brand from its former star marketer.

The New York Times wrote:

Trevor Edwards, a top Nike executive who was seen as a potential successor to the chief executive, is stepping down, the company said on Thursday.

On the same day, the company sent a memo to employees disclosing internal complaints about workplace behavior, Greg Rossiter, a spokesman, confirmed.

“There has been conduct inconsistent with Nike’s core values and against our code of conduct,” he said. “There have been no direct allegations of misconduct against Trevor.”