| Seeds of Change - E-News |
Fall 2007 |
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In this issue:
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Using its leverage as a representative of shareholders in publicly traded companies... As You Sow is helping to slow the race to the bottom in labor standards. This is a powerful response to globalization and the outsourcing of production.
Medea Benjamin,
Co-Founder, Global Exchange
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Giant Hollywood studios restrict on-screen smoking
For several years, As You Sow has fought to prevent portrayals of smoking in youth-rated movies. Studies have demonstrated a strong link between adolescents starting to smoke and viewing movies portraying smoking. Hollywood is finally beginning to listen. AYS has been in dialogue with the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) and
three of the largest movie studios-Disney, Universal and Warner Bros. MPAA recently agreed to add smoking as a factor in its rating process. Disney announced in July it will eliminate smoking from all Disney branded films. Warner Brothers and Universal are also developing detailed policies on how they will reduce, track and report on smoking in their movies.
There is more work to be done to get studios to go beyond their brand name films, to eliminate smoking from ALL movies distributed by these studios, and in getting laggard companies such as Fox and Paramount to develop similar policies. Overall the U.S. film industry seems headed toward the elimination of smoking from all youth-rated movies.
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The human costs of the electronics industry
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The human cost of your shiny new iPhone or laptop may have been sweatshop labor. Conrad MacKerron, Director of our CSR program, recently spent a week in Bangkok, Thailand, in collaboration with Good-Electronics, a global network of 50 activist groups from 10 countries fighting for human rights and sustainability in the electronics industry. “The precarious employment conditions for production workers in this industry call for stronger global links between consumers, electronics workers, shareholders and activists,” said MacKerron.
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Working with other shareholders, As You Sow is challenging brands like Apple, Dell, HP, Microsoft, Intel and Xerox to strengthen the industry code of conduct, improve hiring practices and working conditions, and develop credible code implementation systems and public performance reporting. “Hard (Disk) Labor: Labor conditions in the Thai electronics sector,” published by the Dutch research group, SOMO, discovered the following:
- Wages are so low in Thailand that most workers need to work overtime regularly in order to earn a living wage.
- The Thai minimum wage is 184 Baht per day (about $5.50 US)
- When buyers place orders with a short delivery deadline, workers can be forced to work every day for more than a month without a break for 12 hours a day or longer to meet deadlines imposed by the large multinational brands.
- Workers in some plants are forbidden from using bathrooms without a pass from a supervisor resulting in bladder infections
- Hazardous chemicals are used in the workplace, but workers are not informed about the hazards of chemical exposure.
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Learn more about our efforts to create a more sustainable electronics industry in this May 9, 2007 video segment of YourTV 20's environmental program, “Your Green Report.” YourTV 20's, Lesley Nagy, spoke to Conrad MacKerron, Director of our CSR program, about As You Sow’s efforts to pressure computer companies such as Dell, HP, Apple, and others to significantly increase their recycling and reuse of old computers.
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As You Sow challenges retailers on toxic ingredients
As You Sow stepped up pressure on Bed Bath & Beyond (BBB) to begin eliminating toxic chemicals from its product lines. As You Sow filed a shareholder resolution calling on the company to publish a report disclosing which BBB product lines contain toxic chemicals. The resolution successfully garnered 22% shareholder support.
Numerous products sold in Bed Bath & Beyond, as well as in the company's Harmon beauty products division contain materials known to harm human health and the environment such as, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA - sometimes referred to as "the Teflon chemical"), phthalates, and bisphenol A - chemicals known to cause or have been associated with cancer, developmental harm to children, and other health impacts.
After presenting the resolution at a company shareholders meeting, Associate Director for As You Sow, Michael Passoff commented, "Bed Bath & Beyond is clearly an industry laggard on this issue. Major retailers all around the world including Wal-Mart, Ikea, Nike and Sony have made commitments to phase out PVC in products or packaging."
Our other successes in 2007
Electronic Waste:
Apple Inc. became the third major U.S. computer brand to agree to public take back goals for recycling old computers.
Political Disclosure:
ExxonMobil Corp. agreed to disclose for the first time financial contributions made to political candidates. A similar AYS shareholder proposal convinced Monsanto to disclose their political contributions. The vote on an AYS disclosure proposal at Clear Channel Communications received the support of a resounding 46% of shares voted, up from 20.5% last year.
Labor Rights:
Through AYS’s shareholder advocacy, in partnership with Presbyterian Church USA, AYS convinced Time Warner to develop a code of conduct and pursue an implementation plan to improve labor conditions in its supply chain.
Our newest team member: Steven Low
Steven Low has dedicated his professional career in the progressive non-profit field, focusing on administration and fundraising. Formerly Development Director at the Center for Third World Organizing, Steven brings an extensive knowledge of event management and individual and institutional fundraising to As You Sow. He holds a Bachelors degree in Creative Writing from San Francisco State University and is currently a graduate student in the San Francisco State University Speech and Communication/Performance program.
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