Shareholder Advocacy – Page 4 – Trillium Asset Management

Lobbying Disclosure – UnitedHealth Group (2012)

January 11, 2012

Resolved: Shareholders of UnitedHealth Group (“UNH” or the “Company”) request that the Board of Directors (the “Board”) authorize the preparation of a report, updated annually, disclosing: 1. Company policy and procedures governing the lobbying of legislators and regulators, including that done on the Company’s behalf by trade organizations. The disclosure should include both direct and indirect lobbying and grassroots lobbying communications. 2. A listing of payments (both direct and indirect, including payments to trade organizations) used for direct lobbying as well as grassroots lobbying communications, including the amount of the payment and the recipient. 3. Membership in and payments to …

Network Neutrality On Wireless Networks – Verizon (2012)

January 11, 2012

WHEREAS: The open (non-discriminatory) architecture of the Internet is critical to the prosperity of our economy and society. Non-discrimination principles are commonly referred to as “network neutrality” and seek to ensure equal access and non-discriminatory treatment for all content. As President Obama and Federal Communication Commission Chairman Genachowski have pointed out, an open Internet plays a pivotal role in solving critical national problems such as healthcare, education, energy, and public safety and is necessary “to preserve the freedom and openness that have allowed the Internet to become a transformative and powerful platform for speech and expression.” Network neutrality rules are …

Sustainable Palm Oil Policy – YUM! Brands, Inc. (2012)

January 11, 2012

Whereas: The environmental and social impacts of palm oil, an ingredient in our Company’s supply chain, make it highly controversial. Accordingly, we believe the Company’s failure to procure certified sustainable palm oil is a brand risk, to both our Company’s reputation and long-term to the security of supply. Approximately 85% of palm oil is grown in Indonesia and Malaysia, much of it on industrial plantations. According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, palm oil plantations are a large source of greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) because they are often established on land converted from swamp forests (“The Root of the Problem: …

JPMorgan Chase & Co. – Executive Compensation (2012)

January 11, 2012

WHEREAS: Income inequality is a growing problem in the United States. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2010, 46.2 million Americans lived in poverty—including more than 1 out of every 5 American children. (http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/poverty/data/ incpovhlth/2010/highlights.html) Many in America’s once robust middle class are now struggling to make ends meet. While the bottom 99 percent of Americans face increasingly tough times, the share of income going to the top 1 percent, especially the top 0.1 percent, continues to grow. An October 2011 report from the Congressional Budget Office found that in 1979, the top 1 percent received about the same …

Canadian Oil Sands – ExxonMobil (2012)

January 11, 2012

WHEREAS: ExxonMobil has significant investments in the Canadian oil sands. ExxonMobil owns 69.6 percent of Imperial Oil, one of Canada’s largest oil companies. Imperial is 100 percent owner of the Cold Lake oil sands project and is the operator and 25 percent owner of Syncrude. ExxonMobil and Imperial jointly own and operate 100 percent of the Kearl oil sands project. According to ExxonMobil’s 2010 10-K, oil sands represent approximately 11 percent of proved reserves, demonstrating our company’s significant reliance on Canada’s oil sands for long term growth. There are significant environmental, social and economic risks associated with oil sands. The …

Sexual Orientation Non-Discrimination Policy – ExxonMobil (2012)

January 11, 2012

Whereas: ExxonMobil does not explicitly prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in its written employment policy; Over 89% of the Fortune 500 companies have adopted written nondiscrimination policies prohibiting harassment and discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, as have more than 95% of Fortune 100 companies, according to the Human Rights Campaign. Nearly 70% of the Fortune 100 and 43% of the Fortune 500 now prohibit discrimination based on gender identity or expression; We believe that corporations that prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity have a competitive advantage in recruiting and …

Disclosure of Direct and Indirect Political Spending -State Street Corp (2012)

December 21, 2011

Resolved, that the shareholders of State Street Corporation (“Company”) hereby request that the Company provide a report, updated semi-annually, disclosing the Company’s: 1. Policies and procedures for political contributions and expenditures (both direct and indirect) made with corporate funds. 2. Monetary and non-monetary contributions and expenditures (direct and indirect) used to participate or intervene in any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for public office, and used in any attempt to influence the general public, or segments thereof, with respect to elections or referenda. The report shall include: a. An accounting through an itemized report …

Report on Domestic Partner Benefits for Senior Executives – Aflac (2012)

December 19, 2011

WHEREAS: Costs associated with senior executive turnover are significant and far-reaching. Replacement costs to a company can reach up to 250% of an executive’s annual salary. The proponents believe that companies who choose not to discriminate in the extension of benefits gain a competitive edge in executive recruitment and retention. The equal provision of benefits sends a message of respect and inclusion, and conveys a tangible commitment to the principle that equal work deserves equal pay. If Aflac extends domestic partner benefits to its executives (or employees), this policy is not publicly accessible. Companies in the insurance industry that do …

Network Neutrality On Wireless Networks – AT&T (2012)

December 19, 2011

Whereas: The open (non-discriminatory) architecture of the Internet is critical to the prosperity of our economy and society. Non-discrimination principles are commonly referred to as “network neutrality” and seek to ensure equal access and non-discriminatory treatment for all content. As President Obama and Federal Communication Commission Chairman Genachowski have pointed out, an open Internet plays a pivotal role in solving critical national problems such as healthcare, education, energy, and public safety and is necessary “to preserve the freedom and openness that have allowed the Internet to become a transformative and powerful platform for speech and expression.” Network neutrality rules are …

Prohibit Political Spending From Corporate Treasury Funds – 3M (2012)

December 19, 2011

WHEREAS: Political spending and corporate money in politics is a highly contentious issue, made more prominent in light of the 2010 Citizens United Supreme Court case that affirmed companies’ rights to make unlimited political expenditures to independent groups. In the 2012 election year, we expect even more media and public attention to corporate spending to influence elections. Experts predict that an unprecedented amount of money will be spent in the 2012 election season. Recent polls highlight the public’s disapproval. In a June 2010 Harris poll, 85% of voters said that corporations “have too much influence over the political system today….” …