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Gov. Schwarzenegger Signs Legislation to Combat Human Trafficking October 8th, 2010

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed into law a measure to help eliminate slavery and human trafficking from product supply chains.

“Human trafficking is a terrible crime that goes against basic human rights and everything our country stands for,” said Governor Schwarzenegger. “I am proud that in California, we have enacted some of the toughest laws to punish human traffickers and protect their victims. This legislation will increase transparency, allow consumers to make better, more informed choices and motivate businesses to ensure humane practices throughout the supply chain.”

SB 657 requires major retail sellers and manufacturers doing business in California to disclose their voluntary efforts to eradicate slavery and human trafficking from its direct supply chain for tangible goods offered for sale.

The Oblates of Mary Immaculate joined a group of investors working to end human trafficking who urged the Governor to sign the bill into law.

Thanks are due to the bill’s author, California Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento), and to Chris Miller with Alliance to Stop Slavery and End Trafficking (ASSET ) and founder Julia Ormond, former United Nations Goodwill Ambassador Against Slavery and Human Trafficking, for their tireless work as organizational sponsors of the bill.

The Spring 2009 issue of JPIC Report now available March 18th, 2009

The Spring issue of JPIC Report is now available, with hyperlinks to email addresses and websites mentioned in the text. (Download PDF)

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RugMark 2007 Report Details Recent Successes August 18th, 2008

ICCR and the Oblates have partnered with RugMark Foundation in filing Corporate Resolutions and other actions to stop child labor in the rug-making industry – a problem particularly in South Asia. RugMark has saved over 3,200 children from a grueling life of exploitation at the loom.

Read about RugMark’s most recent successes and their “Most Beautiful Rug” consumer awareness campaign in a new report, available on-line.

RugMark’s website features stories of the children found by RugMark inspectors who have been given a chance to attend school and make a better life for themselves and their families. Learn more…

“Say on Pay” Wins Majority Votes June 18th, 2008

“Say on Pay” is a campaign to give shareholders a voice in executive compensation. The Missionary Oblates co-filed “Say on Pay” Resolutions through ICCR with Apple Computer and Cisco Systems this year.

Brought about by excessive compensation packages for corporate executives, over 90 “Say on Pay” proposals were filed with companies in the 2008 filing season. Pay vote proposals have averaged 43.1% support over the 35 meetings where results are known. To date, nine majority votes have been recorded so far.

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Socially Responsible Investors Call upon HR Council to extend mandate of UN Rep June 3rd, 2008

Seamus Finn, OMI joined other faith-based and socially responsible investors calling upon the Human Rights Council to extend the mandate of the UN Special Representative on Human Rights and Transnational Corporations and other Business Enterprises (SRSG).

A letter to the Council stated: “We are committed to using our leverage as investors to encourage more responsible corporate conduct, and to promote a deeper understanding and respect for international human rights standards on the part of business. …Consistent with the SRSG’s framework, we believe that significant and urgent work must be undertaken by companies to scrutinize their own operations to minimize the possibility of complicity in human rights abuses. We also believe that greater disclosure of corporate information related to human rights policy and performance will enable investors to correlate the financial performance of companies with prudent management of human rights-related risks in general and to assess the possibility of human rights-related corporate liability in particular.” Continuance of the SRSG is important to the success of this work by socially responsible investors.

(Download PDF of letter)

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