Trillium Commends Chipotle Mexican Grill for Signing Fair Food Agreement with Coalition of Immokalee Workers
On October 4th, Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE: CMG) and the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW), a farm worker-based human rights group, signed an agreement which publicly commits the restaurant chain to purchase tomatoes solely from growers who abide by CIW’s Fair Food Program (FFP). Using a penny-per-pound premium, the FFP allows tomato pickers to receive higher wages and better resources to address health and safety concerns. Following a three-year negotiation, Chipotle is the eleventh company to sign onto CIW’s Fair Food Program. Trillium’s active support of CIW’s mission dates back to 2009 when we approached Chipotle to determine if its …
Missoula Independent Op-Ed: Wind Power is a Job Creator–with the Right Tax Breaks
The Missoula Independent recently published an Op-Ed column which was co-authored by Trillium’s CEO, Matt Patsky and Kristina Curtis, Senior Vice President of Green Century Capital Management and President of the Green Century Funds. The column reads, in part: “As investors, we look for growth stories, and until very recently, wind power had an exciting plot. The United States is now generating 20 times more electricity from wind than it did in 2000, and nearly nine gigawatts—the equivalent of nine nuclear power stations—are under construction. Wind power provides more than nine percent of power generation in Colorado, 10 percent in …
Trillium Files Shareholder Resolution with Apple Regarding Privacy Concerns
Trillium Asset Management recently filed a shareholder resolution on behalf of our clients at Apple Inc., regarding privacy concerns. Apple has confronted a number of cyber-security and privacy controversies including unauthorized access to iPhone users’ address books; Unique Device ID (UDID) related litigation and the release of one million UDIDs and security concerns related to iCloud. The controversies have drawn the attention of the U.S. Congress and the ACLU. In light of the societal and business risks created by digital technologies and the significant amounts of personal information that are handled by Apple we are concerned future controversies and litigation …
Trillium and Ceres Seek Nominations for the 2013 Joan Bavaria Award
Ceres and Trillium Asset Management are seeking nominations for the sixth annual Joan Bavaria Award. Submissions will be accepted until 5:00 p.m. ET on Monday, December 31, 2012. The Joan Bavaria Award honors a unique investor, business, or NGO leader who is working to transform the capital markets into a system that balances economic prosperity with social and environmental concerns. The winner of this year’s award will be announced at the 2013 Ceres Conference taking place May 1-2 at The Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco. Bavaria founded both Ceres and Trillium Asset Management. She passed away in 2008 after a …
Investors Welcome New SEC Rule Addressing Conflict Minerals in Supply Chains
Investors, including Trillium Asset Management, welcome yesterday’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) rule on Section 1502, the “Conflict Minerals” provision, of the Dodd-Frank Act. The final rule details how corporations will need to report to the SEC on their use of “conflict minerals” from the Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where a violent conflict has been raging for 14 years, claiming over five million lives. The four conflict minerals—tin, tantalum, tungsten, and gold—are used in large quantities in electronic components, jewelry, automobiles, and many other manufactured products. “Although we are pleased this unprecedented rule has finally been issued …
Houston Chronicle Op-Ed: Expiration of Tax Credit Threatens Wind Industry
The Houston Chronicle recently published an Op-Ed column which was co-authored by Trillium’s CEO, Matt Patsky and Kristina Curtis, Senior Vice President of Green Century Capital Management and President of the Green Century Funds. The column reads, in part: “As investors, we look for growth stories, and wind power has been a great one. The U.S. is generating 20 times more electricity from wind than it did in 2000, and nearly nine gigawatts – the equivalent of nine nuclear power stations – is under construction. Wind power provides more than 10 percent of power generation in five states and more …
Investors Ask EPA to Reconsider Emissions Standards for PVC Industry
Trillium Asset Management was one of seventeen investors, with a combined total of more than $9.8 billion assets under management, who recently wrote to Lisa P. Jackson, Administrator of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency urging her to reconsider the final rules that will set national emission standards for the PVC industry. The letter states, in part: “As long term investors of diversified portfolios we believe strong and consistent protections of public health and welfare are essential to long term economic growth, and in turn the prospects of companies in our portfolios…In 2011 and in 2012 investors held informative dialogues with EPA …
Smucker’s Responds to Shareholder Concerns Regarding Climate-Related Risks to its Folgers™ Coffee Brand and to Farmers in its Supply Chain
August 7, 2012 – BETHESDA, MD and BOSTON, MA: In recognition of Smucker’s [NYSE: SJM] positive first steps to respond to climate-related risks, Trillium Asset Management, LLC (Trillium) and Calvert Investment Management, Inc. (Calvert) announced today that they have formally withdrawn a shareholder proposal which called on the company to disclose climate-related risks to the Folgers™ Coffee and other brands. These brands currently represent over 40 percent of Smucker’s overall revenues and a significant portion of the company’s recent growth. The 2012 Trillium/Calvert shareholder proposal specifically requested that within six months of the company’s 2012 annual meeting, it provide a …
Media Advisory: New Report and Webinar: Total Portfolio Activation – A Framework for Creating Social and Environmental Impact Across Asset Classes
Boston, MA & San Francisco, CA, August 6, 2012 – Tides and Trillium Asset Management, LLC (Trillium) will host a webinar with Tellus Institute on Wednesday, August 8, 2012, from 12:00 – 12:30 PM EST to review the new white paper: Total Portfolio Activation – A Framework for Creating Social and Environmental Impact across Asset Classes. Prepared by Tellus Institute, the paper provides concrete steps to help any institutional investor begin working toward a fuller activation of their portfolio in support of their mission, drawing upon specific examples of investors who have already activated assets in certain asset classes. …
Milt Moskowitz: Sanity in an Insane World from Paul Polman, the CEO who is Reshaping Unilever
Everyone complains about the short-term thinking that rules financial markets these days, but no one ever does much about it. Until now. Stepping up to the plate is Unilever, the storied Anglo-Dutch supplier of food, beverage and personal care products, sold under some 400 brand names including Lux, Dove, Hellmann’s, Ben & Jerry’s, Lipton, Knorr, Bertolli and Vaseline. In a far-ranging interview with Adi Ignatius, editor in chief of the Harvard Business Review, CEO Paul Polman spelled out the steps Unilever is taking to become a sustainable corporation. I have seen many mission statements in my time. It’s easy to …
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