The human and financial costs of geopolitical turbulence are rising sharply. The World Bank estimates that by 2030, two-thirds of the world’s poorest populations will live in countries affected by fragility, conflict, and violence, while the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED) reports a 40% increase in conflict between 2023 and 2020. Further, the 2021 Economic Value of Peace report indicates

Sustainalytics, an ESG research firm owned by Morningstar, will no longer assess human rights issues in the “Israeli-Palestinian conflict area” and parts of Ukraine. Morningstar informed clients last week that this decision stems from concerns about the reliability of information from these regions. The company stated that human rights information related to “contiguous territorial disputes”

Rich Stazinski adds, “As the invasion passes its tragic anniversary, CEOs are gambling with Ukrainian lives by ignoring mounting risks in pursuit of marginal profits. It is past time for allied governments to issue business advisories on Russia and clearly convey these heightened material risks to their domiciled companies.” Related posts: Investor Statement on the

About 30% of Mondelez International Inc.’s shareholders voted in favor of a proposal regarding the company’s human rights policy in Russia and Ukraine, sending a clear message to management that investors are seeking greater transparency on its business practices in these conflict-affected countries. Rich Stazinski, executive director of Heartland Initiative, a nonprofit research organization that

Evidence that Western-made microelectronics are being used in Russian weapons systems has prompted a ramp-up in investor engagement with manufacturers. Sam Jones, president and co-founder of the Heartland Initiative, tells Responsible Investor that investors wanted to discuss the findings of the report. They also wanted to understand more about the firms’ human rights-related policies, practices

The majority of international companies that had ties to Russia at the start of 2022 continue to do business in the country, a new analysis of 3,078 multinationals reveals. “Companies are playing a potentially lethal game of corporate Russian roulette by wilfully accepting exposure to an array of regulatory, legal, reputational and financial risks by

ESG Investor | February 23, 2023 “Companies are playing a potentially lethal game of corporate Russian roulette by wilfully accepting exposure to an array of regulatory, legal, reputational, and financial risks by continuing to do business and utilise supply chains under military control in Russia,” said Rich Stazinski… Related posts: Letter: Mondelez Stance on Putin’s

According to research by the activist group B4Ukraine, a coalition of Ukrainian and international civil society organizations, three-quarters of the most profitable foreign multinationals remain in Russia. In addition to calling on multinationals to leave Russia, Ukrainian organizations are also asking companies doing business in Russia to perform their own human rights due diligence. “Value

Jewish groups put industry on notice, investors stress the need for objective analysis and data. Richard Stazinski, co-founder and executive director at Heartland Initiative, said it was important to note that, as world leaders grapple with an ongoing Russian war of aggression and occupation of Ukraine and its global economic shockwaves, there are dozens of