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Nike Recycling Rewards App
Sept 2024 - December 2024
Project Brief
This project was completed as part of a project management course in my master’s program, where I acted as Scrum Master alongside a Product Manager. We were tasked with conceptualizing a project aligned with business goals and objectives and facilitating two sprints using agile methodology.
Description
We designed a sustainability rewards app and program for Nike to engage customers in the company’s waste management efforts. The app encourages users to recycle through designated drop-off points, track their impact, and earn points toward exclusive rewards. By increasing transparency and accountability, the program aims to rebuild consumer trust and align with Nike’s long-term environmental objectives. The final prototype included user flows for registration, tracking points, milestone notifications, and progress visualizations.
This is an academic case study and not affiliated with Nike Inc.
Here's What I Did...
As Scrum Master on the Nike case study team, I facilitated agile workflows, coordinated sprint activities, and supported the team to remove blockers and stay aligned. I also contributed to service design and UI/UX refinement, ensuring the project fit Nike’s ecosystem.
Sprint Facilitation & Team Support
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Scheduled and led sprint planning, daily scrums, sprint reviews, and retrospectives
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Developed sprint artifacts in partnership with the Product Owner, translating backlog items into actionable tasks
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Helped the team keep sprint goals clear and actionable
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Coordinated meetings to maintain momentum and communication flow
Service Design Deep Dive
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Mapped a comprehensive service blueprint reflecting all identified stakeholders
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Analyzed touchpoints and interactions to optimize service delivery
UI & UX Refinement
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Refined UI components and user flows to align with Nike’s current app and design system
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Iterated on UX details to improve usability and consistency within Nike’s brand standards
01. Research & Discovery
Context
Nike has made significant strides in reducing waste across its supply chain, such as diverting 100% of extended supply chain waste from landfills and recycling at least 80% of it back into products. Despite these efforts, many of Nike’s sustainability initiatives have gone underreported, contributing to a lack of consumer awareness and trust. In 2023, Nike generated over 4,000 metric tons of waste at its headquarters alone—an environmental impact that has raised questions when compared to more transparent competitors like Patagonia. Our challenge was to conceptualize and deliver a service that aligned with Nike’s business goals while addressing this visibility gap.
Research
Business Goals
Nike prioritizes sustainability not only for environmental responsibility but also to build lasting customer loyalty. The company acknowledges that consumers expect transparency and meaningful impact from brands.
To align with Nike’s goals, we researched their recent sustainability efforts, especially the Move to Zero initiative targeting zero carbon and waste. While Nike has made measurable progress, these efforts are mostly shared via annual reports and broad statements, suggesting a gap between their actions and consumer awareness.
Customer Perception
Research shows Nike customers care deeply about sustainability and expect transparency backed by measurable results. According to a 2020 Bioplastics News article, Nike’s audience is increasingly well-informed, paying attention to data like emissions, waste reduction, and material sourcing. For many, having sustainability programs in place isn't enough—they want to see proof of real impact.
Despite Nike’s reported progress, a trust gap remains. Online discussions, such as Reddit threads, reveal that many consumers perceive the brand as opaque or greenwashing. Some believe only Nike employees truly understand the company’s efforts, reinforcing the need for greater transparency and accessibility.
"The term "greenwashing" springs to mind. Certain healthy or sustainable terms aren't fully regulated, so any company for food or clothing can use them. Nike, for example, is fast fashion and has faced tons of ethical issues. Companies want to jump on the green bandwagon to appear better, but it's often inaccurate of their general methods. Unfortunately, in many cases, it's up to the consumer to put in the work to research which companies show evidence of carbon footprint or factory info."
[deleted] (Reddit)
"I think this is a bit misleading. I’m not a shill for the company but I did work there for seven years. During that time I’d saw them take environmental issues very seriously. From the top down they don’t want landfills filled with old shoes. They don’t want the material they use to take lots of water. Packaging is almost 100% recyclable. There are many initiatives at the company to make less of an environmental impact. They’ve definitely made mistakes. But I’ve had a front row seat to a lot of their corrective actions. They take this sh*t seriously."
sean_but_not_seen (Reddit)
"Pretty much a non starter. I would rather support smaller companies like Origin or WSI. I trust Nike about as much as an inmate that has escaped she says he won’t do it again."
[deleted] (Reddit)
"Better in the sense it promotes sustainability/ethics being profitable, terrible because we're still buying from a company that still does sh*tty things. It all sadly goes back to a brand that still supports unsustainable living, working, and environmental conditions."
Survey
Sample size: 4 participants | Survey conducted to explore awareness, trust, and interest in a potential Nike sustainability rewards program
Were familiar with Nike’s ongoing environmental initiatives, highlighting a major visibility gap.
Expressed uncertainty or skepticism about Nike’s eco claims.
Want clearer info on product materials and recycling options.
Said sustainability was either very or somewhat important when buying athletic gear.
Said they’d be more likely to buy from Nike with a clear rewards program.
To validate our concept, I ran a short survey focused on recycling incentives and perceptions of Nike’s sustainability efforts. While none of the participants had joined a rewards program before, most expressed interest in one from Nike—revealing a clear gap between current experiences and consumer expectations.
Many were unaware of what happens to recycled gear after drop-off and valued features that explain the process and offer easy return options. These insights point to a trust gap: customers care about sustainability but want clearer visibility. By prioritizing transparency and involvement, Nike can better connect its internal efforts to public perception and move closer to its sustainability goals.
02. Ideation
Okay... So Now What?
This disconnect presents an opportunity to bridge the gap between Nike’s internal sustainability efforts and public understanding. By designing a program that involves customers directly, tracks both personal and brand-wide progress, and shares information transparently, Nike can build a stronger emotional connection with its community and restore trust in its environmental commitments.
How Might We
"How might we develop tools or programs that empower Nike customers to track and feel engaged with the company’s waste management efforts, rebuilding their trust while fostering accountability and positive environmental impact?"
03. Agile Process & Sprint Management
User Stories
I worked closely with the Product Owner to translate product backlog items into well-defined user stories that captured user needs and included clear acceptance criteria.
User Story #1
As a new Nike customer, I want to be informed about the Nike Recycling Rewards program when I register in the Nike mobile app, so that I can start tracking my recycling efforts and earn rewards.
User Story #2
As a registered Nike customer, I want to see my points balance and recycling history, so that I can easily track my recycling efforts on the go.
User Story #3
As a registered Nike customer, I want a progress tracker for me and Nike that shows how close I am to earning a reward, so that I can stay motivated and track my rewards easily.
As a registered Nike customer, I want to be informed when Nike achieves any sustainability milestone and be notified about any associated rewards or incentives, so that I can feel connected to Nike's sustainability journey and hold the company accountable.
User Story #4
These user stories formed the basis of our sprint artifacts, including sprint backlogs, task breakdowns, and acceptance tests.
Scrum Method
Our team followed an agile delivery model structured around sprints. As Scrum Master, I worked closely with the product manager to prioritize backlog features aligned with our HMW statement, grounded in user goals and pain points.
I facilitated sprint planning, retrospectives, and reviews—removing blockers and supporting team autonomy through timeboxed meetings. This role taught me that being a Scrum Master isn’t about control, but about enablement. To address gaps in trust and awareness revealed in research, we prioritized features that focused on transparency, traceability, and user engagement.
First Iteration
Following two sprints of development, our UX designers translated the user stories and acceptance criteria into a functional first iteration of the app. While I wasn’t directly involved in the UI design, I supported the process as Scrum Master by ensuring design decisions aligned with our sprint goals and business objectives. This version focused on core features like Rewards information page, drop off QR code, progress tracker, available rewards, Nike sustainability milestone notifications.
04. Service Design Deep Dive
This initial delivery sparked my curiosity about the broader service experience beyond the interface. I began to explore how the app fit into Nike’s operational ecosystem and customer journey. This led me to revisit the project through a service design lens and expand on the touchpoints, backstage processes, and opportunities for deeper user engagement.
Understanding who is involved and who holds power was essential to identifying which stakeholders would be most affected by this service. This matrix helped me prioritize who needs to be actively engaged, such as store employees, logistics/supply chain team, and recycling companies. It also clarified which actors have influence over implementation (e.g., Nike’s sustainability and data teams) and who would benefit directly (customers).
Stakeholder Power Matrix
Service Blueprint
The service blueprint was a critical tool for visualizing how customer actions are supported across multiple layers, from the app interface to behind-the-scenes logistics and data systems. It helped me map how a recycled item flows through key stages like intake, breakdown, and repurposing, and how batch tracking, ESG reporting, and reward logic support the experience. By aligning frontstage interactions with backstage infrastructure, the blueprint helped surface where gaps might emerge in the delivery of a transparent, traceable sustainability program.
05. Final Product
Feature Breakdown
Seamless Onboarding into the Rewards Ecosystem
New users are introduced to the Recycling Rewards program immediately upon registration in the Nike app. This addresses a key gap in awareness, making participation effortless from the start. A unique customer ID is automatically assigned and linked to their account, enabling individual tracking for all recycled items.
QR Code Drop-Off with Live Tracking
Customers drop off used items at Nike stores by presenting a personal QR code. Employees scan the code and log basic product data (e.g., item, SKU, date, customer ID) into the system (the POS system/employee interface). From there, the item enters Nike’s backend recycling process. The user’s app updates with real-time tracking milestones—from drop-off to material breakdown—bridging the gap between physical recycling and digital feedback.
Personal Progress & Material Lifecycle Tracker
Users can track their most recent recycled item and follow its journey from drop-off to material breakdown. A simplified progress bar shows their percentage toward the next reward, “number of items” was intentionally removed from the display to discourage mass drop-offs and promote meaningful participation.
To support financial sustainability, rewards are issued as percentage-based discounts (e.g., 30% off) instead of high-cost items like free shoes.
Each user’s Impact Card aggregates their overall contribution (like total waste diverted, CO₂ saved, and water preserved) helping foster a sense of individual accomplishment within the larger sustainability mission.
Collective Impact & Community Milestones
Customers are notified when Nike, as a collective, hits major Move to Zero milestones. These achievements unlock community-wide rewards and show aggregated impact using real user data. This transparency, powered by ESG reporting tools, turns individual actions into a visible part of Nike’s greater sustainability journey.
User Interface
Official Nike app screens were created using an existing template for consistency and realism. All sustainability reward features, including progress tracking, notifications, and the impact card, were conceptualized and designed by my team and I.
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