Costco – Climate Change (2015)
RESOLVED: Shareholders request Costco Wholesale Corporation adopt absolute, time-bound quantitative, company-wide targets, taking into consideration the most recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) guidance for reducing total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and issue a report by May 2015, at reasonable cost and omitting proprietary information, on its plans to achieve these goals. Supporting Statement In order to mitigate the worst impacts of climate change, the IPCC estimates that a 50 percent reduction in GHG emissions globally is needed by 2050 (relative to 1990 levels) to stabilize global temperatures, entailing a U.S. target reduction of 80 percent. The costs of …
The Hain Celestial Group – Pesticide Disclosure and Policies (2014)
WHEREAS: Our company’s brand identity and value are strongly linked with health and wellness. A 2013 study by an accredited and independent lab, Eurofins, commissioned by Glaucus Research, alleged that ten of the 11 Celestial Seasoning teas in this study showed pesticide residue levels exceeding federally defined tolerance levels, or pesticides that did not have regulatory guidance. In response, the company commissioned its own test from a different laboratory that allegedly showed no levels of pesticide residues above regulatory guidelines. The company explained these results on its website, but did not disclose the actual test it had commissioned. We asked …
Greenhouse Gas Emissions – Lincoln Electric Holdings (2014)*
RESOLVED: Shareholders request that Lincoln Electric adopt quantitative company-wide goals for reducing GHG emissions from operations and report on its plans to achieve these goals by fall 2014. Supporting Statement In September 2013, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the world’s leading scientific authority on climate change, released its fifth assessment report concluding that human-caused “warming of the climate system is unequivocal,” with many of the impacts of warming already “unprecedented over decades to millennia.” In 2011, the US experienced 14 extreme weather events with losses exceeding $1 billion each. In 2012, there were 11 such events resulting in …
Report on Land Rights – PepsiCo (2014)*
WHEREAS: Since 2000, over 885 large-scale land acquisitions covering approximately 79 million acres globally have been recorded. Approximately a third of the deals involve investment in cash crops such as sugar cane, palm oil, and soy. Many of these large-scale land acquisitions involve evicting traditional land holders, through coercion or fraud (“land grabs”). Land grabbing primarily affects small-scale farming communities in developing countries and has been linked to loss of livelihoods, hunger, and violence. PepsiCo’s sources of sugar include suppliers that have been linked to land grabs, which poses risk to the company and shareholder value; PepsiCo must urgently recognize …
Sustainability Report – Panera Bread Company (2014)
WHEREAS: Managing and reporting environmental, social and governance (ESG) business practices helps companies compete in a global business environment characterized by finite natural resources, changing legislation, and heightened public expectations. Reporting allows companies to publicize and gain strategic value from existing sustainability efforts and identify emerging risks and opportunities. ESG issues can pose significant risks to business, and without proper disclosure, stakeholders and analysts cannot ascertain whether the company is managing its ESG exposure. The link between strong sustainability management and value creation is increasingly evident. A 2012 Deutsche Bank review of 100 academic studies, 56 research papers, two literature …
Environmental Practices – Chevron Corporation (2014)*
WHEREAS: Environmental expertise is critical to the success of companies in the energy industry because of the significant environmental issues associated with their operations. Shareholders, lenders, host country governments and regulators, and affected communities are focused on these impacts. A company’s inability to demonstrate that policies and practices are in line with internationally accepted environmental standards can lead to difficulties in raising new capital and obtaining the necessary licences from regulators. Chevron has been repeatedly cited for allegedly harmful environmental practices: In November, 2013, Ecuador’s highest court, upholding a 2011 judgement, found Chevron liable for $9.5 billion in damages arising …
Methane Emissions Report – ONEOK, Inc. (2014)
Whereas: Public confidence in the environmental benefits of natural gas is threatened by evidence of high levels of methane leakage from the oil and gas industry in many regions. A November 2013 study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences shows the oil and gas sector in Oklahoma and Texas, where ONEOK has significant operations, may be emitting up to five times more methane than estimated. This study raises questions regarding the adequacy of current Environmental Protection Agency methods for measuring methane emissions. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas (GHG), with 86 times the climate impact of …
Reducing Chemical Toxicity – Jarden Corporation (2014)
WHEREAS: A growing body of scientific research has identified consequences of concern on public health from exposures to toxic chemicals in consumer products. Chemicals of concern have included selected phthalates and heavy metals, some of which can be present in polyvinyl chloride and selected brominated flame retardants. The chemical Bisphenol A (BPA) while now banned in selected baby products is found in a broad range of consumer products. BPA has been linked to heart disease, diabetes, and unusually high levels of liver enzymes in several reports including a human study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association. A …
Sustainability Reporting-Chipotle Mexican Grill (2014)
WHEREAS: Managing and reporting environmental, social and governance (ESG) business practices help companies compete in a business environment characterized by finite natural resources, changing legislation, and heightened public expectations. Transparent, substantive reporting allows companies to gain strategic value from existing sustainability efforts and identify emerging risks and opportunities. ESG issues can pose significant risks to business. Without proper disclosure stakeholders and analysts cannot ascertain whether the company is managing its ESG exposure. The link between strong sustainability management and value creation is increasingly evident. A 2012 Deutsche Bank review of 100 academic studies, 56 research papers, two literature reviews, and …
Methane Emissions Report – EOG Resources, Inc. (2014)
Whereas: Public confidence in the environmental benefits of natural gas is threatened by evidence of high levels of methane leakage from the oil and gas industry in many regions. For example, a November 2013 study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences shows the oil and gas sector in Oklahoma and Texas, where EOG has operations, may be emitting up to five times more methane than estimated. This study raises questions regarding the adequacy of current Environmental Protection Agency methods for measuring methane emissions. The International Energy Agency’s (IEA) 2012 report “Golden Rules for a Golden Age …
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