May 17, 2016
Shareholders Resolution Calls for Amazon (NYSE: AMZN) to Address Worker Abuse, Perform Human Rights Risk Assessment
Shareholders Join Corporate Watchdog in Urging Amazon.com Board of Directors to Adopt Resolution Addressing Worker Abuse at Annual General Meeting
SEATTLE — Ahead of Amazon.com’s Annual General Meeting on Tuesday, May 17th, Amazon.com shareholders are calling on the internet giant to adopt a resolution addressing worker abuse by performing a human rights risk assessment.
At the Annual General Meeting later this month, Lisa Lindsley, Capital Markets Advisor for SumOfUs.org, an international corporate watchdog organization, will present proxy resolution Item 4 - calling on Amazon.com to “identify and analyze potential and actual human rights risk of Amazon’s entire operations and supply chain.” The human rights risk resolution was filed jointly by four individual SumOfUs members who are Amazon shareholders.
VIEW THE SHAREHOLDER PROPOSAL HERE
The proposal is supported by proxy advisory firm ISS, which said, “Amazon could provide additional information regarding the policies the company has implemented to identify and assess human rights risks in its own operations and the relevant mechanisms it has implemented to ensure compliance with such policies. Such information would benefit shareholders, as it would allow them to better understand and assess how the company is managing any associated risks.”
“It is long past time that Amazon’s Board of Directors acknowledge and address worker abuses within their supply chain and ensure that they are following the law where they operate,” explained Lisa Lindsley, representing SumOfUs at Amazon.com’s shareholder meeting later this month. “Providing this information is critically important to shareholders seeking to assess how the company is managing risks associated with human rights abuses and will compel Amazon executives to ensure that all workers are treated fairly.”
"Amazon.com continues to use a supplier of security services for its headquarters, Security Industry Specialists (SIS), that has ongoing violations of Seattle's paid sick leave law and routinely harasses workers seeking to exercise their right to freedom of association," said Sergio Salinas, President of SEIU6 Property Services NW which represents security officers in Seattle. "How can shareholders have confidence that the company is managing human rights risks in its supply chain when they are not being vigilant in their home town?"
Activists from SumOfUs will also deliver more than 104,930 signatures to Amazon.com executives at the shareholder meeting, calling on the global corporation to treat workers better and pay its share of taxes. The petition was also signed by over 18,000 direct and indirect Amazon shareholders, and nearly 73,000 Amazon customers.
VIEW THE PETITIONS HERE: http://action.sumofus.org/a/agm-2016-amazon/ and http://action.sumofus.org/a/amazon-agm-usa/