Nike Gives Public Virtual Factory Tour

Aiming to alter the public's general opinion about its employment of international sweatshops, Nike is giving the public a 90-day tour inside its partner factory in Vietnam. Through a Webcast on its corporate site, curious visitors can ask Nike staff questions regarding the Code of Conduct and other rules the athletic wear manufacturer uses to monitor its factories. The company hopes the tour will also give visitors an idea of the global supply chain and a look at some of the company's environmental and corporate responsibility programs. "We know that many people can't travel to factories in the 58 countries, including the United States, where we manufacture products," says Dusty Kidd, VP of compliance for Nike. "The Webcast provides a unique look to our partner factories in Vietnam and continues our dedication to being among the most transparent companies in the apparel and footwear industry."

The Webcast will feature footage from factories in China, Vietnam and Thailand and will show working employees and a host of other programs Nike has in place. Interested viewers can visit www.nikebiz.com.

Stephanie Oakes is a fitness correspondent for Discovery Health Channel, a contributing editor for USA Weekend Magazine and the LA Times, and appears on NBC's 'Today in New York'. She can be reached at soakes@beststuff.com.