FAFN Announces LGBTQ Rights Panel at 27th Annual SRI Conference

Boston, MA // September 2, 2016 — This week, First Affirmative Financial Network (FAFN), host of the annual SRI Conference, published a press release highlighting a forthcoming panel that will explore the influence of shareholder activism in protecting the rights of LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning) individuals in countries where discrimination and legal consequences are common practice.
The conference panel, “Shareowner Advocacy in the Global Struggle for Full LGBTQ Rights”, will address how shareholders can take action and engage companies on achieving equality for the LGBT community. In the Unites States, 28 of the 50 states lack state-level employment non-discrimination laws covering sexual orientation and gender identity.[1] Globally, over 76 countries have laws that criminalize and/or persecute LGBT people.[2] Matt Patsky, CEO of Trillium Asset Management states:

There’s still much work to be done on this issue. LGBT individuals continue to have no legal protection from discrimination in employment and housing in much of the United States.

The panel will be moderated by Matt Patsky and include participation from: Shelley Alpern, Director of Social Research and Shareholder Advocacy at Clean Yield Asset Management; Tim Gill, founder of Gill Foundation; and Kevin Jennings, Executive Director of Arcus Foundation.
In 1995, Trillium became the first investment management firm to sponsor a shareholder proposal asking a company to add ‘sexual orientation’ to its non-discrimination policy. Since then, the firm has encouraged dozens of Fortune 500 corporations to implement non-discrimination policies for employees.  We are pleased to participate on this panel alongside three organizations leading the conversation in this space and encouraging fellow investors to pursue opportunities for positive impact on LGBT rights.
Read FAFN’s full press release here.
 
SRI Conference Information
The 2016 SRI Conference will take place from November 9-11, 2016 at the Hyatt Regency Downtown in Denver, Colorado. The conference is a gathering of investors and investment professionals in the ESG, Shareowner Advocacy, and Impact Investing space focused on creating a more environmentally sustainable future.
 
[1] http://www.lgbtmap.org/equality-maps/non_discrimination_laws
[2] http://www.hrc.org/blog/un-human-rights-office-releases-report-detailing-violence-and-discrimi