Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility

The Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR) is a coalition of 275 faith-based institutional investors. Founded in 1973, the organization advocates for corporate social responsibility and files shareholder resolutions and engages in dialogue with corporate management on issues such as global warming, human rights, corporate governance, and other social and environmental concerns. When it was founded in the 1970s, ICCR was considered the leader of the socially responsible investing (SRI) movement. Now it is one of the more prominent of dozens of organizations pursuing SRI. [ [http://www.amazon.com/New-Capitalists-Investors-Reshaping-Corporate/dp/1422101010 The New Capitalists: How Citizen Investors Are Reshaping the Corporate Agenda, page 179] ]

Members of ICCR

ICCR members are faith-based institutions such as the Unitarian Universalist Association, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and Catholic Healthcare West. Most of the members are orders of Catholic religious women (nuns). However, secular organizations such as Domini Social Investments and the Service Employees International Union also participate.

Corporate Targets

In any given year, members of ICCR file shareholder resolutions at hundreds of American corporations. The most prominent companies include Wal-Mart [See the [http://ccbn.10kwizard.com/xml/download.php?repo=tenk&ipage=4834033&format=PDF 2007 Wal-Mart proxy statement] for examples of shareholder resolutions filed by ICCR. [] ] , Coca-Cola, Pfizer, and Gap.

It also sponsors the EthVest database on shareowner resolutions. [ [http://www.institutionalshareowner.com/news/article.cgi?sfArticleId=1825 Institutional Shareowner, October 04, 2005 - ICCR Online Database Eases Access to Information on Shareowner Resolutions, by William Baue] ]

In the 1980s, ICCR was prominent in the disinvestment from South Africa campaign in protest of Apartheid.

Issues of Concern

Shareholder resolutions span a wide range of issues. In recent years, the most active issues have included executive compensation [ [http://www.usatoday.com/money/companies/management/2003-05-19-godflys_x.htm USA Today, 5/19/2003, Nuns, priests join crusade against sky-high exec pay] ] (21 resolutions in 2003), corporate political contributions [ [http://www.rollcall.com/issues/52_106/vested/17915-1.html Roll Call, Industry Giants Opening Up On Politics] ] , and global warming [ [http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/may2007/2007-05-11-04.asp Corporate Shareholders Vote on Rising Number of Climate Resolutions, May 11, 2007, Environment News Service] ] (42 resolutions in 2007).

References

External links

* [http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FB0E11F9355D0C728EDDAE0894DA404482 The New York Times, July 21, 2002 - Private Sector; Missionary Among the Executives]
* [http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F30716FD34550C748DDDA80894DB404482 The New York Times, January 17, 2003, Friday - Utility Shareholders Demand Liability Disclosure]
* [http://www.institutionalshareowner.com/news/article.cgi?sfArticleId=1654 Institutional Shareowner, March 04, 2005 - Campaign to Enhance Pharma Industry Accountability Broadens Shareowner Action, by William Baue]