Nike resigns from Chamber's board, citing climate-change differences

The Nike corporation said Wednesday it would abandon its position on the board of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, citing differences with the business group on climate change.

The latest business to break with the Chamber, a top business group, Nike said they "fundamentally disagree" with the Chamber's position on climate change and its decision to challenge an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ruling on carbon emissions.

Unlike other groups to shun the Chamber recently, though, Nike will continue its membership with the organization.

"Nike believes U.S. businesses must advocate for aggressive climate change legislation and that the United States needs to move rapidly into a sustainable economy to remain competitive and ensure continued economic growth," the company said in a statement. "Therefoce, we have decided to resign our board of directors position."

The athletics company said it would continue to affiliate with the Chamber in order to push for climate change from within the business group, and to steer it away from opposing such legislation.

The company added, cryptically: "Moving forward we will continue to evaluate our membership."

The Chamber has been plagued by groups splitting with the company over the climate bill. PG&E renounced its membership last week, and the utility company Exelon left the Chamber earlier this week.

The public breaks with the Chamber come as the Senate is set to introduce its own climate change bill today to complement the bill passed by the House in late June.