Global Network Initiative: Around the world, Internet and communications technology companies face requests from governments to censor and remove information, and to provide information on their users. In 2008, Domini helped to launch the Global Network Initiative, a multi-stakeholder group that opposes government censorship and threats to privacy worldwide. The group includes Google, Microsoft, Yahoo, and a range of human rights and academic organizations.

 

Sustainable Forestry: Of the twenty shareholder resolutions Domini filed for the 2008 proxy season, six related to sustainable forestry and climate change. Best Buy agreed to work with Domini to develop a sustainable paper purchasing policy and the packaging manufacturer MeadWestvaco agreed to study the feasibility of phasing out the use of wood fiber not certified by the Forest Stewardship Council and to increase its use of recycled fiber.

 

Project Kaleidoscope: Domini helped to produce the final report of Project Kaleidoscope, a multi-year collaborative effort, which included McDonald’s and the Walt Disney Company. The Project’s Working Group developed and successfully field-tested a new approach to achieving long-term improvements in factory working conditions. The project was field-tested at 10 contractor factories in southern China that produce goods for McDonald's restaurants and Disney licensees.

 

Child Labor in Uzbekistan: In 2007, the International Labor Rights Forum brought to our attention the annual forced mobilization of children in Uzbekistan to harvest cotton. In 2008, Domini helped lead a group of investors that sent letters to more than 100 corporations around the world, prompting them to start tracing the source of their cotton purchases. The group’s efforts included meetings with the U.S. State Department and letters to Uzbek President Karimov, the Secretary General of the International Labor Organization, and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

 

Investing and Genocide: In September 2008, Domini briefed the Congressional Human Rights Caucus on what investors can do to address genocide and other crimes against humanity.