11/08/2005

The Ethos Foundation joined a group of investors committed to monitor operations of Internet businesses in repressive regime countries.
 

Following Reporters without borders' lead, 25 North American, Australian and European investment funds managing around 21 billion dollars in assets have endorsed a joint statement in which they affirm their commitment to freedom of expression on the Internet. The statement is above all targeted at companies such as Yahoo !, Cisco Systems and Microsoft that help the Chinese authorities censor the Internet or operate online surveillance systems.

By its signature, Ethos commits to, among other things, monitor the activities of Internet sector companies in repressive regime countries. "We see the development of a new form of capitalism, more focused on its long-term responsibility. It is very important that denunciations of human rights abuse be carried by investors and not only by NGOs", says Dominique Biedermann, Executive Director of the Ethos Foundation.

Boston Common Asset Management and Domini Social Investment, two American funds and signatories of the joint statement, presented a shareholder resolution at Cisco Systems' general meeting with respect to its activities in countries known for their bad record regarding freedom of expression. Ethos supports this resolution that will be voted on November 15th, 2005.

The respect for human rights, as they are defined in the "Universal Declaration of Human Rights", is one of the fundamental principles underlying corporate social responsibility. This dimension is therefore systematically taken into account in the environmental and social evaluation of companies as part of Ethos' investment process.

The text of the investor statement and the complete list of signatories were distributed during a press conference which took place in New York on November 7th.

More information is available on Reporters without borders' website.

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