New Study Quantifies Lack of ‘Truth in Labeling’ in ESG Mutual Funds and ETFs
After a four-month analysis of 94 mutual funds and ETFs with “ESG” in their name, a team of University of California, San Diego graduate students concluded that the linguistic patterns found in mutual fund and ETF prospectus language has a relatively low correlation with its ESG rating.
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70% of AutoZone Shareholders Voted to Adopt Net-Zero Climate Target Proposal
A majority of AutoZone shareholders voted Wednesday in favor of an As You Sow resolution requesting the company report on plans to adopt net-zero climate targets and annually disclose progress. The proposal earned a vote of 70.4% representing shareholder support of more than $25 billion in assets.
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Widespread Cadmium Contamination in Spinach Revealed in More Than 20 Companies
New testing data released by consumer protection group As You Sow finds cadmium, a non-essential heavy metal, in a range of spinach products.
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92% of Sysco Shareholders Support Net-Zero Climate Targets
In a resounding vote of support for climate action, 92% of shareholders supported a Say on Climate resolution filed by shareholder representative As You Sow asking the world’s global foodservice leader, Sysco Corporation, for Paris aligned, net-zero targets, an aligned climate transition plan, and annual reporting of progress.
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As You Sow Racial Justice, Workplace Equity Scorecards Expand to Include Russell 1000 Companies
As You Sow today released an update to its Racial Justice Scorecard and Workplace Equity Scorecard expanding coverage from the S&P 500 to include the Russell 1000.
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Morgan Stanley Sets Ambitious 2030 GHG Reduction Targets
Morgan Stanley Wednesday announced its 2030 targets for reducing its financed emissions in line with its 2050 net-zero commitment. Morgan Stanley was the first major U.S. bank to set a net-zero target for its financed emissions.
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SEC Takes Action to Restore Shareholder Rights
The SEC today released a Staff Legal Bulletin (14L) rescinding three bulletins released over the past four years that made it difficult for shareholders to exercise their right to present shareholder resolutions for a vote at company annual general meetings.
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Xcel Extends Net-Zero Goal to Include Natural Gas Business
Xcel Energy today announced its commitment to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions from its natural gas business by 2050 and a 25% reduction in emissions by 2030.
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17 Major U.S. Food Manufacturers Ranked on Efforts to Reduce Pesticides in Agriculture
Today, As You Sow released its second edition of Pesticides in the Pantry: Transparency & Risk in Food Supply Chains, a report examining the growing risk to food manufacturers posed by the use of synthetic pesticides in agricultural supply chains.
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Goldman Sachs Joins Net-Zero Banking Alliance Following Last Year’s Net Zero Target Announcement
Goldman Sachs Monday announced it has joined as a signatory to the industry-led, United Nations-convened Net-Zero Banking Alliance.
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Why Do Apple, Disney, Visa, Facebook, and Microsoft Employees Invest Their Retirement Savings in Fossil Fuels and Prisons?
Today, As You Sow, a non-profit corporate accountability organization, increased the coverage of its Corporate Retirement Plan Sustainability Scorecard to include five additional major U.S. publicly traded companies.
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Microsoft Agrees to Expand Consumers’ Repair Options
In response to a resolution filed by shareholder representative As You Sow, which encouraged Microsoft to respond to the growing “right to repair” movement — the company has agreed to increase consumers’ options to repair their devices by the end of 2022.
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Walmart Commits to 15% Plastic Reduction Goal
Walmart Inc., the world’s largest company by revenue, agreed today at its sustainability milestone summit to reduce total virgin plastic use by 15% throughout the company’s plastic packaging footprint by 2025 following engagement with As You Sow.
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Nike Shareholders to Call for Diversity Disclosure at Annual General Meeting
Nike shareholders will vote this Wednesday, Oct. 6 at its annual general meeting on an As You Sow shareholder resolution asking the company to disclose information on the effectiveness of its diversity and inclusion efforts.
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New Scorecard Finds Companies Beginning to Act Faster on Plastic Pollution, but No Company Doing Enough
Today, As You Sow released its ”Corporate Plastic Pollution Scorecard 2021” analyzing the actions, and inactions, of 50 of the largest U.S. consumer-facing companies to reduce plastic pollution.
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Record-Breaking Year: As You Sow 2021 Shareholder Impact Report Shows 5 Majority Votes
As You Sow today released its “2021 Shareholder Impact Review: Changing Corporations for Good” summarizing its 2021 proxy season engagements.
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PepsiCo Commits to 20% Plastic Reduction Goal After Engagement With As You Sow
Global food, beverage, and snack giant PepsiCo Inc. Wednesday agreed to a 20% reduction in total virgin non-renewable plastic use across its brands by 2030 following engagement with As You Sow.
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Environmental Racism Metrics Added to As You Sow Racial Justice S&P500 Scorecard
As You Sow today released an updated Racial Justice Scorecard for the S&P500 which assesses companies on racial and environmental racism.
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Biden Announces New Fuel Economy Standards, Sets 50% Zero-Emission Vehicle Target
President Biden today announced that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Transportation will reinstate more ambitious Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards after being rolled back by the Trump administration.
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Bayer to Remove Glyphosate From Lawn and Garden Products by 2023, But Toxic Chemical Will Still Be Sprayed on Food Crops
German chemical giant Bayer announced last week it will remove glyphosate — the active ingredient in Roundup — from all of its lawn and garden products in the U.S. by 2023.
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