Nike has agreed to work with an investment firm that wants the sportswear giant to tie part of the compensation of senior managers to culture and diversity metrics.
Boston-based Trillium Asset Management brought a formal proposal about the idea to the company earlier this year. It came in the wake of news reports about a "boys' club" culture at Nike.
Trillium wanted the compensation committee of the company's board of directors to prepare a report about including culture and diversity metrics in the incentive compensation of top executives. It also asked the company to include in the report a description of its efforts to prevent sexual harassment and promote gender equity.
The investment firm, which oversees $24 million in Nike shares, wanted to get the proposal in front of shareholders at Nike's annual meeting, but it withdrew the proposal after Nike agreed to discuss it.
"We've talked to Nike several times," said Brianna Murphy, a Trillium vice president and shareholder advocate. "We continue talking to them. They have made a committment to continue talking to us about the proposal."
Trillium manages about $2.5 billion in assets. It also has offices in San Francisco and Portland.
Murphy works out of the firm's Portland office. She said Nike agreed to forward the proposal to the compensation committee of its board of directors.
"We have had follow up conversations with Trillium who withdrew their proposal," said Nike spokesman Greg Rossiter, in an email. "We will continue to engage with Trillium and other interested investors around the work being done to enhance and drive our culture."
Murphy said she expects to speak with Nike again after the company's annual meeting, which takes place Thursday.
"We think Nike is a good company," Murphy said. "On this issue we think they can do better."