I need help responding to this discussion board post in 150 words or more.

Admitting there is a problem is always the first and hardest step in solving said problem. The admission of Nike CEO Mark Parker that there was workplace disparity between genders and races in the company, stemming from the informal survey taken by women in the workplace, showed that Nike was ready to take on this problem head on. The promotion of two women into high ranking positions was a good show of faith in change and is a good start but there is still a long way to go to dismantle the systemic culture of the good ol boy system and patriarchy that seems to permeate the Nike management structure. The articles allude to, but do not provide solid evidence of a pay disparity between women and men in the company. This issue is the first that needs to be addressed by Human Resources. The Equal Pay Act of 1963 actually demands it but like desegregation we have seen that these changes, even though enacted through legislation, are slower to develop in the real world. Nike should make effective immediately any pay raises for any employee who has been underpaid for services provided and if the company could afford to they should give those employees back pay for their dutifully earned money. If backpay is not fiscally possible then Nike could grant those employees extra vacation days, as a way of showing that they respect the work done in the past and that those loyal employees should take a break on the company dime. This would serve as an example of rewarding loyalty to the company and admitting that the company hasnt always shown the same loyalty in return but going forward the commitment would be mutual. In the case of new employees Nike could institute a policy of blind resume selection. My suggestion would be that any personal information such as name, race, gender, or age be removed from the resume box and each candidate for hire be judged solely on the strength of their resume and experience. This would eliminate any underlying or even subconscious biases that the hiring manager may have and would ensure that the best candidates always get the job or at least always get invited to an interview where they can prove their worthiness in person. In addition, Nike can institute a panel style interview process and make it mandatory that there be at least one woman and one non white person on the panel who interviews each candidate so that everybody would get a fair shot. I feel that the following would be a good start to start to heal the internal divide within the company but to fix their public image Nike will have to do more than just promote a few women into higher roles. Nike is the largest sportswear manufacturer in the world. With contract deals with the NFL, NBA, MLB, and most major colleges and universities, Nike is known for its support for athletes on the field or court but what about off the court? It is known that minorities make up the majority of student athletes in the big two sports in the NCAA, football and basketball, yet they are among the lowest in graduation rates. Nike could show its dedication to the betterment of young people in mind and body by partnering with the American Negro College Fund to help send deserving young people to college regardless of their athletic ability. Perhaps they can even set up scholarships for young people in high school to pay their way through college that parlays into a guaranteed internship at Nike itself with a full time job waiting for them should they want it. These steps combined would prove that Nike has fully committed itself to becoming a transparent, diverse, and inclusive workplace that is striving to make the world a little more as well.