Former and current Nike employees are sharing their experiences with racism at the company via an anonymous Instagram page — and its part of a growing trend on social media

• A new Instagram account called "Black at Nike" is filled with messages from anonymous current and former employees sharing experiences with racism at the athletic-wear giant, according to the account creators.
• In a statement to Business Insider, a Nike spokesperson said all employees are expected to follow the company's Matter of Respect policy that prohibits discrimination based on race, and added that employees can use the company's Speak Up portal to report any issues, which they can do anonymously.
• "We urge every employee to speak up if an employee experiences something that does not align with Nike's values and policies," the Nike spokesperson said.
• In the last few months, Adidas, Nike, and Under Armour have all acknowledged their part in maintaining a workplace lacking in diversity and inclusion.
• If you're a Nike employee with a story to share, email sciment@businessinsider.com

As major companies confront their internal diversity problems head-on, a new Instagram account is highlighting current and former employees' experiences with racism at Nike, according to the account creators.

The account, called "Black at Nike," has gained over 7,500 followers since its first post on June 24. According to its description, the page's goal is to amplify "Black voices from current and former Nike employees" by encouraging people to submit their stories via an anonymous Google form.

"Despite the performative allyship that Nike shares publicly with the world, their Black employees (Current and former) are broken," a representative from Black at Nike, who has decided to remain anonymous, wrote in a statement to Business Insider. "Many have been suffering in silence, alone. Many have been laid off due to retaliation. Many feel like they should just shut up and work, in fear of not being able to thrive in the corporate system. This account is to finally give these people a voice and to share their stories."

The representative also described the person behind the account as a "custodian to the people" and said the movement does not just have one face behind it.

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Anonymous posts on the page currently total over 70 and include stories from a range of Nike employees across the company's retail and corporate divisions.

"For years, WOC at Nike have been disrespected by white leaders in positions of power," reads one post from a week ago. "As a WOC working in Nike Sports Marketing, I experienced microaggressions, disrespect, and retaliation for speaking up."

From the voice of the store athlete. #blackatnike #blacklivesmatter

A post shared by Black at Nike (@blackatnike) on Jul 5, 2020 at 2:10pm PDTJul 5, 2020 at 2:10pm PDT

In a statement to Business Insider, a Nike spokesperson said all employees are expected to follow the company's "Matter of Respect" policy that prohibits discrimination based on race, and added that employees can use the company's "Speak Up" portal to report any issues — anonymously, if they prefer.

"We urge every employee to speak up if an employee experiences something that does not align with Nike's values and policies," the spokesperson said in a statement.

The spokesperson added that Nike is currently focusing on increasing representation across the company, supporting employee professional development efforts, prioritizing inclusion and belonging, and increasing education for inclusivity.

"We're at our best when every member of the team feels respected, included, and heard – when everyone can show up fully as themselves and have the opportunity to do their best work every day," the spokesperson said in a statement.

"Black at Nike" is one of many similar pages to appear on Instagram in the last few weeks. "Black at Amazon," "LGBT at Nike," and "Black at NYU Law," all appear to operate similarly, collecting stories of discrimination through anonymous forms.

In the aftermath of the killing of George Floyd and protests that spread across America, the sportswear and sneaker world has been forced to confront and address its internal problems related to Black representation. Brands like Adidas, Nike, and Under Armour have all acknowledged company-wide problems with inclusion and diversity.

In a June 5 memo to employees, Nike CEO John Donahoe said the sportswear giant must get its "own house in order," CNBC reported.

Some of Nike's diversity efforts are seeing results. The company increased VP-level representation by two percentage points in the last year, to 21%. The company also recently pledged $140 million to support the Black community and recognized Juneteenth as a corporate holiday.

"Nike can no longer turn a blind eye to the racism that is happening on their watch, every single day at WHQ in Beaverton, Oregon, and in their stores around the world," the Black at Nike representative said in a statement. "When employees report these experiences, the company needs to listen and react. Just one instance is too many."

If you're a Nike employee with a story to share, email sciment@businessinsider.com or message this reporter via the encrypted messaging app Signal at +1 (646) 376-6018 using a nonwork phone.