Updates
Black History Month 2022
Racism is not just a social justice issue; historically, it has also cast a long economic shadow. Following the Civil War, the Reconstruction Act of 1865 helped transition newly freed Black Americans from enslavement into members of the United States economic system. The Freedman’s Savings and Trust Company was established for formerly enslaved Black American […]
IASJ Welcomes Courtney Wicks as New Executive Director
Facing Investor Pressure, Microsoft Agrees to Publish Independent Human Rights Impact Assessment, Including Review of Surveillance and Law Enforcement Contracts
October 13, 2021 PR Originally posted by Open MIC | Bloomberg Article COMPANY’S ACTION FOLLOWS SHAREHOLDER PROPOSAL FOR THIRD-PARTY REVIEW OF POTENTIAL HUMAN RIGHTS HARMS In response to shareholder requests, Microsoft Corp. will commission an independent, third-party assessment to “identify, understand, assess, and address actual or potential adverse human rights impacts” of the company’s products, […]
Shareholders Say Microsoft’s Business Practices are Undermining Privacy, Perpetuating Racism and Threatening Human Rights
Investors have filed three shareholder proposals with Microsoft Corp. seeking accountability for the ways in which the company’s lobbying practices, surveillance technologies, and contracts with ICE and other government agencies contradict the company’s own statements and values around racial justice and human rights. The shareholder proposals highlight an apparent gap between Microsoft’s stated principles and […]
Investor Advocates for Social Justice (IASJ) is Hiring an Associate Director
Position: Associate Director, Mission-Aligned Investing To Apply: Interested applicants should send a cover letter and resume to Mary Beth Gallagher, Executive Director, at jobs@iasj.org. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis. Summary of the Position The Associate Director will lead the strategic direction and implementation of IASJ’s Mission-Aligned Investing (MAI) Program for faith-based institutional asset owners (Affiliates). The […]
Shareholder Support Building for Human Rights Proposals at Defense Companies
Faith-based institutions have long led movements calling for peace, demilitarization, and denuclearization. The defense industry continues to profit from business models that cause death and destruction. On a 2021 earnings call, the CEO of defense company Raytheon said, “peace is not going to break out in the Middle East anytime soon. I think it remains […]
Investors Call on Companies to discontinue the supply of weapons used in the military assault in Gaza
On May 21, 2021, 36 institutional, faith-based, and individual investors with $22.4 billion in assets under management wrote to Boeing, Elbit Systems, Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics, Northrop Grumman, and Raytheon Technologies urging the companies to fulfill their human rights responsibilities and discontinue the supply of weapons or components used in the military assault in Gaza […]
CSJP Shareholder Proposal at PPG Garners 32% Investor Support
The Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace leveraged their investments in PPG Industries, Inc., a major U.S. paints and coatings manufacturer, to call for greater independent board oversight of human rights risks. With support from Investor Advocates for Social Justice (IASJ), the Congregation filed a shareholder proposal requesting PPG adopt an Independent […]
Shareholders Calling for Human Rights Protections for Essential Food Chain Workers Prevail at Wendy’s Annual Meeting
Shareholder proposal emphasized vulnerability of farmworkers in Wendy’s ($WEN) supply chain to COVID-19 and its failure to join the Fair Food Program. NEW YORK, NY, TUESDAY, MAY 18TH, 2021 – Today shareholders approved a proposal at Wendy’s asking the company to disclose evidence of whether its existing policies effectively protect workers in its food supply […]
Webinar: Learn About IASJ
Join Investor Advocates for Social Justice (IASJ) for a webinar on June 17 at 11:00am to get to know our organization and how it works to support faith-based institutional investors to align and activate their investment portfolios in order to fulfill their mission. Hear from IASJ staff and current Affiliates about ways to get involved […]
