Would it have made a difference? Marikana, BASF and the Supply Chain Act

From 2023, legislation will rule how BASF must meet its own human rights due diligence obligations. Would the Supply Chain Act have helped BASF respond more seriously to the apparent abuses at its then largest platinum supplier, Lonmin, after the Marikana massacre nine years ago? The answer to this question exposes the advantages, but also the shortcomings, of the bill currently being debated in German parliament.

By Tilman Massa, Ethical Shareholders Germany

German companies have had long enough to prove that they voluntarily comply with UN standards on respecting human rights in their supply chains. After it finally became clear last year that over 80 percent were not even close to doing so, the German government drew the consequences and cleared the way for a legal regulation. Weiterlesen

Permanent link to this article: https://www.kritischeaktionaere.de/en/basf-se/would-it-have-made-a-difference-marikana-basf-and-the-supply-chain-act/

Missed climate targets, untrustworthy control: Our countermotions

Re agenda item 2: Adoption of a resolution on the appropriation of profit

The Association of Ethical Shareholders Germany proposes that the appropriation of profit proposed by the management be rejected.

Rationale:

It doesn’t add up: BASF is repeating last year’s record dividend, while further job cuts are planned worldwide, even at its headquarters in Ludwigshafen. Significantly more of the unappropriated profit should be used for a future-oriented and at the same time socially just realignment of BASF without job cuts. While employees and entire companies have to bear the burden of the Corona pandemic, BASF is even privatizing the resulting profits. Weiterlesen

Permanent link to this article: https://www.kritischeaktionaere.de/en/basf-se/missed-climate-targets-untrustworthy-control-our-countermotions/

Countermotion: Loopholes for coal

Countermotion on Agenda Item 3

Motion:

The Association of Ethical Shareholders Germany moves that approval for the actions of the members of the Board of Management not be given.

Reasons:

Munich Reinsurance Company’s Board of Management is not sufficiently fulfilling its duty to take more effective action to protect the climate.

Loopholes for coal

Munich Re has stopped (re)insuring coal-fired power plants and mines since 2018, but only at the level of individual projects. Its coal exclusion does not apply to collective reinsurance arrangements, referred to as treaty reinsurance, in which entire books are reinsured. It therefore can still cover risks involving coal-fired power plants, mines or infrastructure. Weiterlesen

Permanent link to this article: https://www.kritischeaktionaere.de/en/munich-re/countermotion-loopholes-for-coal/

Countermotions to the RWE Annual General Meeting

Regarding Item 2 on the Agenda: Appropriation of distributable profit

RWE AG’s distributable profit for fiscal 2020 of 574,812,261.27 euros shall not be appropriated to pay a dividend (85 cents per dividend-bearing share).

Rationale:

RWE is sending out a fatal signal of disintegration while the coronavirus pandemic is imposing numerous restrictions on large parts of society and small businesses and self employed individuals are struggling to survive. Our shareholders shall get more money! Instead, RWE should limit the dividend to 10 cents per share and use the money freed up by this to establish a fund to cushion the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. Weiterlesen

Permanent link to this article: https://www.kritischeaktionaere.de/en/rwe-en/countermotions-to-the-rwe-annual-general-meeting/

Countermotion

With regard to Agenda Item 2: Ratification of the actions of the members of the Board of Management

The Association of Ethical Shareholders Germany moves that the actions of the members of the Board of Management not be ratified.

Reason:

The Board of Management of Bayer AG is not sufficiently fulfilling its responsibility to implement more effective climate protection measures and transparently comply with duty of care responsibilities with regard to human rights.

Climate protection challenges postponed for 10 years

It is commendable that Bayer has finally presented a plan for reducing its own direct greenhouse gas emissions (Scope 1 and 2) that appears to be compatible with the 1.5 degree goal of the Paris Climate Agreement. Weiterlesen

Permanent link to this article: https://www.kritischeaktionaere.de/en/bayer-en/countermotion-2/

Countermotions

Regarding Item 2 of the Agenda

The Association of Ethical Shareholders proposes that the allocation of distributable profit as proposed by the management is to be rejected.

Reasons:

By increasing the dividend in the middle of the corona pandemic, Daimler AG is showing its ignorance of the mood of society as a whole. While the Group is receiving the short-time working allowance for some of its workforce, it is now paying out €1.35 per share instead of the 90 cents paid last year. Daimler employees, whose wages have been cut or who are threatened with dismissal due to the savings plan of Daimler CEO Ola Källenius, cannot understand why shareholders are to receive €1.4 billion. Weiterlesen

Permanent link to this article: https://www.kritischeaktionaere.de/en/mercedes-benz-en/countermotions-3/

Questions relating to wind power projects in the Moroccan-occupied territories of Western Sahara

On the occasion of the Annual General Meeting 2021, we are asking Siemens Gamesa the following questions, as we are concerned about financial, legal and reputational risks related to Siemens Gamesa’s business activities in the Moroccan-occupied territories of Western Sahara.

In Moroccan occupied Western Sahara, the occupying power exploits natural resources in violation of international law. Morocco also engages in wind energy projects in Western Sahara, and practically all of these wind farms run on turbines made by Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy (SGRE). In the Foum El Oued wind park they provide almost all the energy needed for the transport of illegally exploited phosphates on the 100km conveyor belt to the coast. Weiterlesen

Permanent link to this article: https://www.kritischeaktionaere.de/en/siemens-gamesa/questions-on-the-occasion-of-the-agm-relating-to-wind-power-projects-in-the-moroccan-occupied-territories-of-western-sahara/

“BASF must take action to address NorNickel’s violations”: Open response letter to BASF

Representatives of Indigenous Peoples, environmental and human rights organizations criticize BASF for not taking action to address NorNickel’s impacts to Indigenous Peoples of Russia’s Far North

Dear Dr. Dohrn:

Thank you for your response of December 4, 2020. We appreciate that you recognize NorNickel’s history and legacy of severe environmental incidents. Unfortunately, based on the evidence that we have seen, we do not yet share your optimism that NorNickel is willing to work towards sustainability. We believe BASF’s failure to take action to address NorNickel’s impacts to Indigenous Peoples of Russia’s Far North represents violations of BASF’s Group Position on Human Rights and its Supplier Code of Conduct. Weiterlesen

Permanent link to this article: https://www.kritischeaktionaere.de/en/basf-se/basf-must-take-action-to-address-nornickels-violations-open-response-letter-to-basf/