Nike, Inc. said it has reinforced its commitment to the environment by releasing new leather sourcing guidelines aimed at helping slow the rate of Amazon deforestation due to cattle grazing within the basin.

Given Nike’s proven track record on environmental and sustainability issues, the company responded quickly when Greenpeace identified that cattle grazing for meat production, and leather as a by-product of meat production, are contributors to Amazon deforestation.

Nike has had extensive conversations with its leather suppliers to gain the most accurate picture possible of its leather sourcing footprint. Nike can say with a high level of certainty that leather used in Nike products is not sourced within the Amazon basin.

However, recognizing that there is no current leather traceability system to track the origins of leather with 100 percent confidence the company has released a policy which requires its suppliers to establish a traceability system over the coming year. In addition, the company has also signed Greenpeace’s ‘Commit or Cancel’ principles which call for a moratorium on deforestation.

Beyond traceability, Nike would also call for the establishment of an enforceable certification system for all industries involved in the Brazilian meat and leather supply chain. Nike values collaboration and continued dialogue on important issues in order to implement change for a more sustainable future.

To this end Nike will continue to work with the industry’s Leather Working Group, Greenpeace and other stakeholders to address this issue across the supply chain. Moving forward, the company will also require all suppliers of leather for Nike products to join the Leather Working Group by December 2009.

Nike and Greenpeace share a common interest in addressing the causes of climate change. Nike has demonstrated its commitment by calling for US legislative action through its initiation of the Business for Innovative Climate and Energy Policy (BICEP) coalition, eliminating the global warming gas SF6 used in Air-Sole cushioning units, and in 2007 reducing our annual CO2 emissions to 18 percent below 1998 levels.