Investor Statement on Coronavirus 0414.20 Response 04.14.2020
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Add your name here h-ps://bit.ly/Investor-Covid-19 We are 286 long-term insBtuBonal investors and serviCe providers represenBng over $8.2 trillion USD in assets under management with global exposure across Capital markets. We reCognize the long-term viability of the Companies in whiCh we invest is inextriCably Bed to the welfare of their stakeholders, inCluding their employees, suppliers, Customers and the CommuniBes in whiCh they operate. As suCh, we Call on these management teams and boards of direCtors to join us in facing this unpreCedented threat. The long-term ConsequenCes of COVID-19 are diffiCult to imagine at this early stage. What we do know, however, is that the virus will strain all our global soCial and finanCial systems. Millions of working people will face impossible hardships as COVID-19 shuts down sChools, workplaces, hourly employment, transportaBon and more. We also know that vulnerable CommuniBes are the most at risk as they have limited acCess to soCial safety nets and finanCial resourCes to weather this unCertain period. While we all face Considerable Challenges in this environment, there are things we Can do to proteCt our soCiety and the Companies we invest in from the worst potenBal outComes, and that inCludes proteCBng workers. Board direCtors are acCountable for long-term human Capital management strategy; the Companies they oversee have invested in their workforCes and will be well served by having retained a well-trained and Commi-ed workforCe when business operaBons are able to resume. Furthermore, the prospeCt of widespread unemployment will exacerbate the Crisis and pose grave risks to basiC soCial stability and the finanCial markets. Finally, in the face of this global humanitarian Crisis we all benefit by Coming together. In that spirit, we urge the business Community to take what steps they Can and to Consider the following steps in parBCular: 1. Provide paid leave: We urge Companies to make emergenCy paid leave available to all employees, inCluding temporary, part Bme, and subContracted workers. Without paid leave, soCial distanCing and self-isolaBon are not broadly possible. 2. Priorize health and safety: ProteCBng worker and publiC safety is essenBal for maintaining business reputaBons, Consumer ConfidenCe and the soCial liCense to operate, as well as staying operaBonal. Workers should avoid or limit exposure to COVID-19 as muCh as possible. PotenBal measures inClude rotaBng shiZs; remote work; enhanCed proteCBons, trainings or Cleaning; adopBng the oCCupaBonal safety and health guidanCe, and Closing loCaBons, if neCessary. 3. Maintain employment: We support Companies taking every measure to retain workers as widespread unemployment will only exacerbate the Current Crisis. Retaining a well-trained and Commi-ed workforCe will permit Companies to resume operaBons as quiCkly as possible onCe the Crisis is resolved. Companies Considering layoffs should also be mindful of potenBal disCriminatory impact and the risk for subsequent employment disCriminaBon Cases. 4. Maintain supplier/customer rela-onships: As muCh as possible, maintaining Bmely or prompt payments to suppliers and working with Customers facing finanCial Challenges will help to stabilize the eConomy, proteCt our CommuniBes and small businesses and ensure a stable supply Chain is in place for business operaBons to resume normally in the future. 5. Financial prudence: During this period of market stress, we expeCt the highest level of ethiCal finanCial management and responsibility. As responsible investors, we reCognize this may inClude Companies’ suspending share buybacks and showing support for the prediCaments of their ConsBtuenCies by limiBng exeCuBve and senior management CompensaBon for the duraBon of this Crisis. We hope Companies and their boards will Consider measures beyond these reCommendaBons, parBCularly those that are faring well in these diffiCult Bmes. SuCh measures may inClude ChildCare assistanCe, hazard pay, assistanCe in acCessing government support programs, employer-paid health insuranCe for laid off workers, or deploying resourCes to address the Current needs related to the pandemiC. While we acknowledge many of these reCommendaBons may be out of reach, over the last several years we have seen CorporaBons show leadership by using their power as a forCe for tremendous good. This leadership is CriBCally needed as we face COVID-19 together. Signed: Domini Impact Investments LLC Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility Office of the New York City Comptroller ScoH M. Stringer 100% Sustainability APG Abacus Wealth Partners Aquinas Associates.com Access Strategies Fund Arabesque Achmea Investment Management Arcobaluce Sustainable Value Advisory Addenda Capital Arisaig Partners Adrian Dominican Sisters, PorQolio As You Sow Advisory Board ASN Bank / ASN Investment Funds Affirma-ve Investment Management Atkinson Founda-on AFL-CIO AvantFaire Investment Management AJO Aviva Investors Align Impact Azzad Asset Management Alken Asset Management Ltd BancoPosta Fondi Sgr Altum Faithful Inves-ng Bank J. Safra Sarasin American Bap-st Home Mission Society BC Government and Services Employees' American Federa-on of Teachers Union American Friends Service CommiHee Bell Asset Management Anima Sgr Benedic-ne Coalion for Responsible Congregaon of St. Basil Investment Congregaon of St. Joseph BMO Global Asset Management Congregaon of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Bon Secours Mercy Health Peace Boston Common Asset Management Conneccut State Treasurer Shawn T. Wooden Boston Trust Walden CoreCommodity Management, LLC Brethren Founda-on Funds Cornerstone Capital Group California Catholic Congregaons for Responsible Inves-ng CorpGov.net Canada Post Corporaon Pension Plan Corporate Responsibility office - The Province of Saint Joseph of the Capuchin CCLA Order CCOO FP CREA: Center for Reflec-on, Educa-on and CCRIM - Coali-on on Corporate Ac-on Responsibility in Indiana and Michigan CRIC – Associa-on for the Promo-on of Chicago City Treasurer Ethics and Sustainability in Investment Chrisan Brothers Investment Services CtW Investment Group Church Commissioners for England Dana Investment Advisors Church Investment Group Daughters of Charity, Province of St. Louise Church of England Pensions Board Daughters of the Holy Spirit Church of the Brethren Benefit Trust Delaware State Treasurer Cizen and Shareholder - Investor Domini Impact Investments LLC Clean Yield Asset Management Dominican Sisters ~ Grand Rapids COMETA FONDO PENSIONE Dominican Sisters of Mission San Jose Cometa Fondo Pensione Dominican Sisters of San Rafael CommiHee on Mission Responsibility Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa Through Investment of the Presbyterian Ecofi Inves-ssements Church U.S.A. EdenTree Investment Management Common Interests EOS at Federated Hermes on behalf of his CommonSpirit Health stewardship clients Communica-ons Workers of America Epic Consulng LLC Community Capital Management, Inc. Epoch Investment Partners Inc Congrega-on of Holy Cross, Moreau Ethical Partners Funds Management Province Ethos Founda-on, Switzerland Congrega-on of Sisters of St. Agnes Eca Sgr - Responsible Investments Everence and the Praxis Mutual Funds Int'l Assoc. of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transporta-on Workers (SMART) FAMA Inves-mentos Interfaith Center on Corporate FHI Ventures Responsibility Figure 8 Investment Strategies Interna-onal Brotherhood of Teamsters First Affirma-ve Financial Network Invesco Fondo de Pensiones de Empleados de Investor Advocates for Social Jus-ce Telefónica Investor Environmental Health Network Fondo Italiano d'Inves-mento SGR S.p.A. Investor Voice Franciscan Sisters of Allegany NY Jessie Smith Noyes Foundaon Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adora-on Jesuit CommiHee on Investment Friends CommiHee on Na-onal Legisla-on Responsibility Friends Fiduciary Corpora-on Jesuits of Canada Friends Provident Founda-on Jesuits of the US Central and Southern Future Super Province Geneva Agape Founda-on JLens Investor Network GFED JSA Sustainable Wealth Management Give Inc Karner Blue Capital Global Alpha Capital Management Ltd. Kempen Capital Management Global Green KLP Green America (endowment) La Banque Postale Asset Management Greenvest Lankelly Chase Founda-on Grey Nuns of the Sacred Heart Local Authority Pension Fund Forum GRID 202 Partners Local Pensions Partnership Harrington Investments, Inc. Los Angeles Capital Management & Equity HSBC Global Asset Management Research, Inc. Hymans Robertson Staff Pension Plan LPL Financial IBEW Mackenzie Investments Ides Capital Management LP Maitri Asset Management Pte Ltd IG Wealth Management Malk Partners Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs Man Group Impact Investors Marist Fathers and Brothers Impax Asset Management Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers Inherent Group, LP Maryknoll Sisters Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus Pension Plan of The United Church of Canada Mercy Investment Services, Inc. Pensions Caixa 30 (PC30) Mergence Investment Managers PHITRUST Mirova PIRC Ltd Missionary Oblates/OIP Trust Plan de Pensiones Asociado de UGT Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart Polden-Puckham Charitable Founda-on Montanaro Asset Management Poste Vita Nathan Cummings Founda-on Prenss Smith & Company, Inc. Natural Investments Presentaon of Dubuque, Iowa NCH Capital Inc. Priests of the Sacred Heart, US Province NEI Investments Principled Invesng LLC New York City Comptroller ScoH M. Stringer Province of St. Mary of the Capuchin Order Newground Social Investment Proxy Impact Nia Impact Capital Raiffeisen Capital Management Nordea Asset