by William Baue

Last Friday, Nike and Marc Kasky settled the lawsuit that pitted the company's claim of free speech rights against the social activist's contention that commercial speech laws govern Nike's statements about overseas sweatshops. In June, the US Supreme Court sent the case back to the California Supreme Court, which had ruled in favor of Mr. Kasky. By sending it back to California, the Supreme Court avoided making a judgment on the free speech issue.

"After five years, both sides have agreed that investing in factory worker programs and furthering collaboration on corporate reporting are far better uses of funds and energy than continued litigation," stated Maria Eitel, Nike vice president of corporate responsibility, and Jim Carter, Nike vice president and general counsel, in a letter to stakeholders.

Upcoming Ethical Corporation conferences & events:
How to manage Social & Environmental Risk in the mining, oil & gas, steel and other heavy industries
London, 22-23 March 2010 The Responsible Business Summit 2010
Novotel West Hotel, London, 4th – 5th May 2010 The Inaugural Ethical Corporation Awards
Novotel West Hotel, London, Evening of 4th May 2010
The Awards will be held at the Responsible Summit -
on the evening of the first day
Please login to view whole article - or subscribe here.
For a free two week trial to Ethical Corporation online, please click here.