Investor-led collaborative effort is advancing legislation in Canada requiring corporations find and fix human rights risks in their global supply chains
June 8, 2020 – SHARE has won the 2020 Responsible Investors Association (RIA) Leadership Award for Advocacy for its work on the Modern Slavery Legislation Initiative to establish new legal obligations for corporations operating in Canada to address human rights risks in their global supply chains, and report them to investors.
SHARE has coordinated individual corporate engagement and worked with politicians and government to help eradicate forced labour, child labour, and other risks affecting the most vulnerable of workers in global supply chains.
“We hope this award is another step towards passing this new legislation, which has immense transformative potential for global human rights and for investors’ own due diligence on human rights,” said SHARE CEO Kevin Thomas.
SHARE’s Modern Slavery Legislation Initiative has been supported financially by the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Our Lady’s Missionaries, Sisters of St. Ann, the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, the Missionary Society of Saint Paul the Apostle and the Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto.
“When investors are asked to identify social concerns in responsible investment, supply chain risks are amongst the most commonly cited,” said Thomas. “This legislation will allow investors to rely on comparable and comprehensive disclosure from corporations that address those concerns, allowing better decisions and additional support for delivering on commitments under the UN Sustainable Development Goals.”
SHARE is also proud to announce that its partnership with NATOA – the Reconciliation and Responsible Investment Initiative – won an RIA Leadership Award for Market Education. RRII is an innovative project that is mobilizing institutional investors as allies with Indigenous peoples in contributing to reconciliation and in building a vibrant Indigenous economy.
About SHARE (Shareholder Association for Research & Education)
Since 2000, SHARE has built a community of values-driven investors who are committed to amplifying their voices in support of a sustainable, inclusive and productive economy. SHARE is the leading non-profit investor voice on human rights and responsible investment in Canada, representing a growing network of institutional investors with more than $23 billion in assets under management. SHARE provides proxy voting analysis, shareholder engagement, education, policy advocacy, and practical research. Clients include pension funds, mutual funds, foundations, faith-based organizations and asset managers across Canada.
CONTACT:
Damon van der Linde, Communications Officer
dvanderlinde@share.ca | +1-604-772-2188
