China’s Ant Group has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Nike China to bolster their collaboration, aiming to enhance Nike's e-commerce operations in the country.
The collaboration aims to bolster customer service efficiency and the brand's sustainability performance.
Nike e-commerce will integrate Ant's cloud customer service solution, which offers smart scheduling, AI-powered staff training and AI-driven quality assurance.
The solution is designed to meet the increasing demand for online customer service and provides flexible employment opportunities for freelancers, stay-at-home parents, young people in smaller towns and individuals with physical challenges.
By facilitating remote working, it also contributes to reducing carbon emissions compared to traditional customer service centres.
Nike Greater China supply chain vice-president Stanley Chang said: "Nike firmly believes that protecting the planet is protecting the future of sport.
"We have been investing in localised innovations and seeking solutions that integrate sustainability into every aspect of our business. With the expanded partnership, we look forward to driving more innovations for a sustainable future."
The collaboration builds on the successful partnership initiated in 2022 with the launch of the “Recycle-A-Shoe” mini-programme within the Alipay app.
Through this initiative, Chinese consumers can recycle worn-out Nike shoes, which are then dismantled and transformed into sustainable sports courts using Nike's Grind technology.
Participants earn virtual green energy points in the Alipay Ant Forest, supporting environmental projects such as tree planting and biodiversity conservation.
By November 2024, Nike had recycled 180,000 pairs of shoes through the programme, leading to the creation of 38 Nike Grind sports courts across China.
Ant Group chief sustainability officer Sabrina Peng said: “One key insight from our sustainability journey is that long-term business success requires the creation of both commercial value and social value. With this shared belief, we look forward to working with Nike to create more sustainable outcomes for communities.”
