Over the next three months, we expect that both stock and bond markets will be somewhat more volatile, and we may see additional short term weakness in stock market prices. However, we remain focused on the positive economic outlook for the U.S. over the next twelve months. You can download our complete Market Commentary here. The summer and early fall is a busy time for Trillium’s Advocacy team. This is generally when we finish many of our core engagements from the prior year and begin planning our strategy for the next spring season. Climate change, human rights, and corporate political/lobbying …

By Elizabeth R. Levy, CFA and Brianna Murphy One of the significant drivers of recent economic growth has been a surge in domestic energy production, leading to a revival in manufacturing of both products and materials. Low natural gas prices are leading to a resurgence of the chemicals industry in the U.S., predominantly on the Gulf Coast of Louisiana and Texas. Methanex, a Canadian chemicals firm, is physically relocating two methanol factories from Chile to the U.S. in order to take advantage of low gas prices, despite estimated costs of $1 billion to move the plants . As domestic manufacturing …

FedEx Increasingly Embroiled in Ongoing Controversy over “Redskins” Name September 29, 2014: This morning, investors presented a shareholder floor proposal at FedEx Corporation’s (NYSE:FDX) annual meeting asking the company to “take the steps necessary to drop or distance ties to the team, logos and/or stadium sponsorship until the Washington D.C. Football Team franchise abandons its degrading name.” FedEx possesses the naming rights to the team’s stadium, FedExField, in Landover, MD through 2026. Speaking directly to senior leadership and the board, Susan White, Trust Director of the Oneida Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin explained “The Washington D.C. franchise’s name, “Redskins,” is …

Articles include: • Thinking Capital™ (Matt Patsky’s column) • Trillium’s Approach to Privacy Issues • Oneida Trust: An Investment Portfolio with a Voice • Increasing Energy Demand Highlights Investment Opportunities Efficiency and Renewables • These Long-Established Companies are Using Efficiency as a Tool to Promote Growth • Hain Celestial Responds to Shareholder Concerns Regarding Pesticide Risk in its Supply Chain You can download the issue here. …

September 2014: As the effects of climate change on economic activity become more significant, there is increasing demand from investors, trustees and other fiduciaries for consistent, comparable, actionable information in company mainstream (i.e. annual) reports. This presents a growing challenge to the capacity of financial markets to allocate capital as efficiently as possible. Recognizing this challenge, a statement by a leading group of global corporations and investors has been released, committing themselves to report and make use of climate change information on a common basis in mainstream corporate reports. The signatories take this step primarily out of a sense of …

September 2014: Privacy and data security have quickly become one of the most critical business and social issues of our time. Trust is critical for any business, but especially for companies that routinely gather massive amounts of personal data concerning and affecting the lives of hundreds of millions of people in the U.S. and around the world. If people, companies, and governments mistrust how companies handle sensitive information, it may cause them to take their business elsewhere—or to curtail their online spending, negatively impacting the economy. In addition, when people lose trust in their communication networks, they’re less likely to …