Investor Advocates for Social Justice

Forever Chemicals: A Legacy of Environmental Racism

January 18, 2024

Welcome to Advocacy Matters, a monthly column where IASJ staff members will be publishing opinion pieces about current events, human rights, environmental issues, and corporate controversies. At IASJ, we believe that, in the pursuit of social justice, advocacy matters. Advocates champion the cause of human rights and equitable economies for all. In this new monthly […]



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Black History Month 2022

February 24, 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 […]



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Facing Investor Pressure, Microsoft Agrees to Publish Independent Human Rights Impact Assessment, Including Review of Surveillance and Law Enforcement Contracts

October 13, 2021

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, […]



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Shareholders Say Microsoft’s Business Practices are Undermining Privacy, Perpetuating Racism and Threatening Human Rights

June 17, 2021

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 […]



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IASJ Mission-Aligned Investing (MAI) Program Launch

March 9, 2021

March 9, 2021: Montclair, NJ – Recognizing Investor Advocates for Social Justice (IASJ) Affiliates’ legacy around fostering positive social and environmental impact, IASJ convened its first Affiliate Cohort meeting on March 9th to launch the Mission-Aligned Investing (MAI) program. The program aims to enable and empower IASJ’s Affiliates, which are faith-based institutional asset owners, to […]



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In Solidarity with Democracy, Equity & Justice

January 7, 2021

January 7, 2021 Yesterday’s violent attack on the U.S. Capitol by pro-Trump insurgents attempting to undermine the results of the 2020 election was disturbing and deeply sad. In a culmination of the denial of the election outcome, damaging and false rhetoric, these attacks on the democratic process by white supremacists were enabled or incited by […]



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IASJ Stands in Solidarity With Racial Justice Protests

June 3, 2020

In light of recent racist incidents including the murders of Breonna Taylor, Tony McCade, and George Floyd, Investor Advocates for Social Justice (IASJ) stands in solidarity with the ongoing protests, and is committed to take action on racial justice.  As representatives of investors, IASJ recognizes and acknowledges that our country’s economy is rooted in structural […]



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“A Win for Shareholders in Effort to Halt Sales of Amazon’s Racially Biased Surveillance Tech” – Press Release by Open MIC

April 4, 2019

S.E.C. Ruling Advances Two Shareholder Proposals Targeting Amazon’s Rekognition Link to original Open MIC press release: https://www.openmic.org/news/2019/4/4/a-win-for-shareholders-amazon In a major victory for investors, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ruled late yesterday that Amazon must give shareholders an opportunity to consider and vote on two separate shareholder resolutions that address major business risks posed by […]



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Shareholder Resolution Filed with Amazon on Prohibiting Sales of Facial Recognition to Government, Citing Human Rights Risks

January 17, 2019

SHAREHOLDERS PRESS AMAZON TO STOP SELLING RACIALLY BIASED SURVEILLANCE TECH TO GOVERNMENT Press release written by Open MIC. Link to original posting: https://www.openmic.org/news/2019/1/16/halt-rekognition Citing critical concerns over immigrant surveillance of vulnerable communities, racial profiling, and other civil and human rights violations, Amazon shareholders have filed a resolution asking the company to prohibit sales of “Rekognition”, […]



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