A shareholder proposal calling upon Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, NASDAQ – VZ) to publicly commit to network neutrality principles on its wireless networks gained significant momentum at the company’s annual meeting as shareholders supported the proposal by an even larger margin than their counterparts at AT&T did in a similar recent vote.

The proposal at Verizon, which was offered and considered for the first time this year, attracted 7.9% of the votes cast by the company’s shareholders at the annual meeting in Huntsville, Alabama on May 3.  A similar measure at AT&T Inc.’s annual meeting on April 27 attracted 5.9% of the shares voted.  The vote results are contained in official filings by the companies with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

By winning more than 3 percent of the vote of shareholders at both AT&T and Verizon, the proposals reached an important qualifying threshold set by the SEC for inclusion in next year’s proxy voting at both companies.

Based on Verizon’s recent share price, the results mean that investors holding stock worth more than $5.2 billion voted in favor of the resolution.

A similar proposals regarding wireless network neutrality is scheduled for a vote at Sprint Nextel Corporation (NYSE – S) on Tuesday, May 15.

Network neutrality is a core principle that has guided the Internet since its inception. This principle enables an open Internet by making sure that companies that provide Internet access treat all content equally—regardless of source, destination or ownership.  This prevents a handful of large companies from paying wireless providers premium rates in exchange for faster speeds on their sites than others receive. Without it, consumers risk experiencing a dramatically different Internet, where large corporate sites able to pay premium costs load and operate at fast speeds while smaller newer sites struggle to function and compete with slower speeds. Numerous studies also demonstrate that network neutrality is important to the prosperity of Internet Service Providers and economic growth.

The shareholder proposals at AT&T, Verizon and Sprint were allowed on the proxy ballots following an SEC staff ruling earlier this year which denied “no-action” requests by the companies.  The companies had sought to block shareholders from voting on the proposals by arguing, among other things, that network neutrality was not a “significant public policy issue.”  The SEC staff rejected that argument in view of what it called “the sustained public debate over the last several years concerning net neutrality and the Internet and the increasing recognition that the issue raises significant policy considerations.”  

The proposals ask each company to publicly commit to operate its wireless broadband network “consistent with network neutrality principles – i.e., operate a neutral network with neutral routing along the company’s wireless infrastructure such that the company does not privilege, degrade or prioritize any packet transmitted over its wireless infrastructure based on its source, ownership or destination.”

For more information:

Michael Connor, Executive Director, Open MIC, 646-493-9704, mconnor@openmic.org

Jonas Kron, Vice President, Trillium Asset Management, (503) 592-0864, jkron@trilliuminvest.com

Laura Campos, Director, Shareholder Activities, Nathan Cummings Foundation, 212 787 7300 ext. 3615,
Laura.Campos@nathancummings.org

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Trillium Asset Management, LLC is the oldest independent investment advisor devoted exclusively to sustainable and responsible investing.  With over $1 billion in assets under management, Trillium has been managing equity and fixed income investments for high net worth individuals, foundations, endowments, religious institutions, and other nonprofits, since 1982.  A leader in shareholder advocacy and public policy work, Trillium’s goal is to deliver both impact and performance to its investors.

The views expressed are those of the authors and Trillium Asset Management, LLC as of the date referenced and are subject to change at any time based on market or other conditions.  These views are not intended to be a forecast of future events or a guarantee of future results.  These views may not be relied upon as investment advice.  The information provided in this material should not be considered a recommendation to buy or sell any of the securities mentioned.  It should not be assumed that investments in such securities have been or will be profitable.  To the extent specific securities are mentioned, they have been selected by the authors on an objective basis to illustrate views expressed in the commentary and do not represent all of the securities purchased, sold or recommended for advisory clients.  The information contained herein has been prepared from sources believed reliable but is not guaranteed by us as to its timeliness or accuracy, and is not a complete summary or statement of all available data.  This piece is for informational purposes and should not be construed as a research report.

Contact: Mary Boyle – Common Cause (202) 736-5770

MINNEAPOLIS – Institutional shareholders and citizen activists challenged Minneapolis-based 3M Corp’s, political spending on Tuesday, urging the company to end its political giving and disclose its expenditures on lobbying.

As investor representatives inside 3M’s annual shareholders’ meeting spoke in favor of two political spending measures on the company’s proxy, activists outside rallied in support of political spending reform at the manufacturing giant.

 “It’s time for 3M corporate leadership to stop using our company’s general treasury money as a political slush fund.  There needs to be accountability,” said Mike Dean, executive director of Common Cause Minnesota and a 3M proxy holder.

Dean noted that a recent study from the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management indicates that corporate political spending correlates negatively to long term shareholder value.  “There is no reason for our company to engage in this practice,” he asserted.

Trillium Asset Management, a Boston based investment firm, filed a resolution on 3M’s 2012 proxy asking that the corporation refrain from political spending. “Our proposal seeks to ensure that 3M protects itself from the reputation damage that can be incurred from spending corporate general treasury funds to influence electoral politics,” said Shelly Alpern, a Trillium vice president who spoke at the meeting. “In recent years 3M has engaged in political spending activity that, in the opinion of the proponents, has courted unnecessary risk to its brand and reputation as a civil leader.”

Trillium’s shareholder resolution asks that the corporation refrain from political spending, whether direct or indirect via Super PACs or other third-party vehicles.It is the first political spending resolution of its in kind since the U.S. Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision in January 2010 opened the door for corporations to use their treasuries to support or oppose political candidates.

Trillium has filed a similar resolution at Bank of America in advance of its shareholder meeting in Charlotte, N.C. later this week.

Outside the 3M meeting people marched in support of the Trillium proposal, carrying signs which read “3M Stick to Business” and “Post Its – Not Politics.”  The diverse crowd was organized by advocacy organizations Common Cause, Public Citizen, Take Action Minnesota, Minnesotans for a Fair Economy and the Service Employees International Union.

In Citizens United, the Supreme Court lifted a century-old ban on the use of corporate treasury funds for political purposes.  Shareholders are increasingly concerned that such funds, which can be funneled to SuperPACS, trade associations and other organizations for political use — often without proper oversight or board and shareholder knowledge — could create a risk to shareholder value.

“We have had enough of 3M and major corporations giving their customer’s hard earned dollars to organizations like ALEC and Minnesota Forward, and to politicians that protect tax breaks for the 1% and cut public services,” said Harrison Bullard, Vice-President of SEIU Local 26 and President of the SEIU AFRAM MN Chapter.

The “Shareholder Spring” actions that Common Cause and its allies are conducting this week in Minneapolis and Charlotte are part of a larger umbrella of activities under the 99% Power banner.  99% Power is a broad coalition that includes workers and retirees, families fighting foreclosure and the unemployed, students, immigrants and environmentalists.

The 3M proposals on lobbying transparency and the cessation of political spending are part of a separately-coordinated wave of shareholder proposals at more than 100 companies this year.

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 Common Cause is a nonpartisan, grassroots organization dedicated to restoring the core values of American democracy, reinventing an open, honest, and accountable government that works for the public interest, and empowering ordinary people to make their voices heard.

Trillium Asset Management, LLC is the oldest independent investment advisor devoted exclusively to sustainable and responsible investing. With over $1 billion in assets under management, Trillium has been managing equity and fixed income investments for high net worth individuals, foundations, endowments, religious institutions, and other nonprofits, since 1982. A leader in shareholder advocacy and public policy work, Trillium’s goal is to deliver both impact and performance to its investors.

The views expressed are those of the authors and Trillium Asset Management, LLC as of the date referenced and are subject to change at any time based on market or other conditions. These views are not intended to be a forecast of future events or a guarantee of future results. These views may not be relied upon as investment advice. The information provided in this material should not be considered a recommendation to buy or sell any of the securities mentioned. It should not be assumed that investments in such securities have been or will be profitable. To the extent specific securities are mentioned, they have been selected by the authors on an objective basis to illustrate views expressed in the commentary and do not represent all of the securities purchased, sold or recommended for advisory clients. The information contained herein has been prepared from sources believed reliable but is not guaranteed by us as to its timeliness or accuracy, and is not a complete summary or statement of all available data. This piece is for informational purposes and should not be construed as a research report.

Shares worth more than $11.4 billion voted in favor; Similar votes upcoming at Verizon and Sprint

April 27, 2012: A shareholder proposal calling upon AT&T Inc. (NYSE – T) to publicly commit to network neutrality principles on its wireless networks attracted important support in initial voting results released today at the company’s annual meeting in Salt Lake City.

The proposal, which was voted on for the first time this year, attracted at least 5.9% of the votes cast in this year’s proxy vote at AT&T, according to preliminary results released by the company. That percentage could climb higher in the final tabulation. By garnering support from more than 3 percent of voting shareholders, net neutrality will be assured a continued place on next year’s ballot. Based on the company’s recent share price, the results mean that investors holding stock worth more than $11.4 billion voted in favor of the resolution.

Similar proposals regarding wireless network neutrality are scheduled for votes at the upcoming annual meetings of Verizon Communications (NYSE – VZ) on May 3 and Sprint Nextel Corporation (NYSE – S) on May 15.

“We fully intend to continue pressing these issues which are important to shareholder and public interests, and we look forward to further dialogue with AT&T management,” said Jonas Kron, Vice President of Trillium Asset Management, LLC, who presented the proposal to AT&T shareholders, senior management and board members at the annual meeting.

“Network neutrality has significant implications for the American economy and the large institutional investors whose returns depend on its performance,” according to Laura Campos, director of shareholder activities at the Nathan Cummings Foundation. “The vote at AT&T indicates that investors are beginning to recognize the economic importance of an open and free Internet and vote their shares accordingly.”

Network neutrality is a core principle that has guided the Internet since its inception. This principle enables an open Internet by making sure that companies that provide Internet access treat all content equally—regardless of source, destination or ownership. This prevents a handful of large companies from paying wireless providers premium rates in exchange for faster speeds on their sites than others receive. Without it, consumers risk experiencing a dramatically different Internet, where large corporate sites able to pay premium costs load and operate at fast speeds while smaller newer sites struggle to function and compete with slower speeds. Numerous studies also demonstrate that network neutrality is important to the prosperity of Internet Service Providers and economic growth.

“This vote at AT&T is important because its signals to media and technology companies that investors believe network neutrality is important – comparable to social issues confronting other sectors where investors have successfully pressed for greater accountability,” said Michael Connor, Executive Director of the Open Media and Information Companies Initiative, or Open MIC (www.openmic.org), which helped formulate the shareholder resolutions.

Connor noted that the vote in favor of network neutrality principles compared very favorably to those on proposals regarding other social and environmental issues, in which companies have agreed to adopt carbon emission targets, adopt equal benefit policies for all employee families and disclose political donations. For example, a current campaign led by the Center for Political Accountability, seeking to require corporate disclosure of political spending, started in 2004 with an average 9.1% vote in favor. Since then, 100 major public corporations, including half of the S&P 100, have adopted political disclosure and accountability.

The shareholder proposals at AT&T, Verizon and Sprint were allowed on the proxy ballots following an SEC staff ruling earlier this year which denied “no-action” requests by the companies. The companies had sought to block shareholders from voting on the proposals by arguing, among other things, that network neutrality was not a “significant public policy issue.” The SEC staff rejected that argument in view of what it called “the sustained public debate over the last several years concerning net neutrality and the Internet and the increasing recognition that the issue raises significant policy considerations.”

By winning more than three percent of the vote at AT&T, the proposal reached an important qualifying threshold set by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for inclusion in next year’s proxy voting.

The proposals at AT&T and Verizon were filed by Trillium Asset Management (on behalf of its clients), the Nathan Cummings Foundation, the Benedictine Sisters of Mount St. Scholastica in Atchison, Kansas, and several individual investors including Mike D of the Beastie Boys. The proposal at Sprint was filed by the Nathan Cummings Foundation.

The proposals ask each company to publicly commit to operate its wireless broadband network “consistent with network neutrality principles – i.e., operate a neutral network with neutral routing along the company’s wireless infrastructure such that the company does not privilege, degrade or prioritize any packet transmitted over its wireless infrastructure based on its source, ownership or destination.”

For more information:

Michael Connor, Executive Director, Open MIC, 646-493-9704, mconnor@openmic.org

Jonas Kron, Vice President, Trillium Asset Management, (503) 592-0864, jkron@trilliuminvest.com

Laura Campos, Director, Shareholder Activities, Nathan Cummings Foundation, 212 787 7300 ext. 3615, Laura.Campos@nathancummings.org

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Trillium Asset Management, LLC is the oldest independent investment advisor devoted exclusively to sustainable and responsible investing. With over $1 billion in assets under management, Trillium has been managing equity and fixed income investments for high net worth individuals, foundations, endowments, religious institutions, and other nonprofits, since 1982. A leader in shareholder advocacy and public policy work, Trillium’s goal is to deliver both impact and performance to its investors.

The views expressed are those of the authors and Trillium Asset Management, LLC as of the date referenced and are subject to change at any time based on market or other conditions. These views are not intended to be a forecast of future events or a guarantee of future results. These views may not be relied upon as investment advice. The information provided in this material should not be considered a recommendation to buy or sell any of the securities mentioned. It should not be assumed that investments in such securities have been or will be profitable. To the extent specific securities are mentioned, they have been selected by the authors on an objective basis to illustrate views expressed in the commentary and do not represent all of the securities purchased, sold or recommended for advisory clients. The information contained herein has been prepared from sources believed reliable but is not guaranteed by us as to its timeliness or accuracy, and is not a complete summary or statement of all available data. This piece is for informational purposes and should not be construed as a research report.

“I can’t think of anyone more deserving to win this year’s Bavaria Award,” said Mindy Lubber, president of Ceres. “Tessa is an inspirational leader who has worked tirelessly for more than 20 years integrating environmental and social concerns into investing and business decisions. She has taken Joan Bavaria’s original vision of advancing socially responsible investing and expanded it to the markets in Europe, and now Asia, creating real impact beyond the U.S.”

Tennant co-founded The Ice Organisation, which encourages consumers to purchase more sustainable products and services from a wide range of retail partners, mobilizing mass consumer purchase power to reduce carbon emissions and mitigate the effects of climate change. She also co-founded the UK’s first equity investment fund for sustainable development in 1988, now called the Jupiter Ecology Fund.

She was Chair and co-founder of the UK Social Investment Forum, which promotes responsible investment and other forms of finance that support sustainable economic development. She also co-founded the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), which has enabled hundreds of companies and investors to better understand, report on and mitigate risk from carbon pollution and climate change.

In 2001 she co-founded the Association for Sustainable & Responsible Investment in Asia (ASrIA) and remains on the Board. Based in Hong Kong, ASrIA is a leading nonprofit organization promoting sustainable investment practices in Asia, including fostering SRI products and services and providing training, research and other resources.

The Bavaria Award is presented by Ceres annually to an inspiring leader working to move capital markets toward a system that balances economic prosperity with social and environmental concerns. The award’s name honors Joan Bavaria, a pioneer of social investing who founded Ceres and Trillium Asset Management. Bavaria passed away in 2008.

 “Tessa has been instrumental in elevating sustainability as a business and investor issue across the globe,” said Trillium CEO Matt Patsky. “She has created multiple funds and organizations that are driving sustainable investment behavior and having a real impact on business, the environment and the global economy.”

In the early nineties, Tennant served as a member of the UK Government’s Advisory Committee on Business and the Environment, and helped develop HRH The Prince of Wales’s Business in the Environment initiative, which educates senior business executives on practical ways to integrate social and environmental solutions into their business operations.  She is also Chair of the Global Cool Foundation.  She has served as a World Wildlife Fund UK Ambassador and is a Fellow of the Schumacher Society.

“I’m deeply honored.” Tennant said in her acceptance speech. “This award is as much for the people in Hong Kong at the Association for Sustainable & Responsible Investment in Asia, and for the people in London at the Carbon Disclosure Project and other initiatives I’ve been involved with, as it is for me. Joan Bavaria has been a complete heroine of mine all my working life. She gave me that confidence to just go out and do it.” (View her entire acceptance speech here.)

About Ceres
Ceres is an advocate for sustainability leadership. Ceres mobilizes a powerful coalition of investors, companies and public interest groups to accelerate and expand the adoption of sustainable business practices and solutions to build a healthy global economy. Ceres also directs the Investor Network on Climate Risk (INCR), a network of 100 institutional investors with collective assets totaling more than $10 trillion. For more information, visit www.ceres.org and www.incr.com.

About Trillium Asset Management
With a history spanning three decades, Trillium is the oldest independent investment advisor focused exclusively on sustainable and responsible investing. Trillium manages over $1 billion in assets for clients including high net worth individuals, foundations, endowments, religious institutions, and other non-profits. To learn more about Trillium, please visit www.trilliuminvest.com.

After the hearing, the CFPB invited the public to review the hearing transcript and provide comments on the issues raised in it. As concerned investors, Trillium responded to the request.

“Based on our research of the effects that payday loans and similar financial products like ‘direct deposit advance loans’ have on consumers, we believe that the risks posed to investors by the presence of such products in the financial marketplace are potentially severe,” said Seth Magaziner, Financial Sector Analyst at Trillium.  “While payday lending may be a profitable businesses activity in isolation, our analysis suggests that the cycle of debt and increased likelihood of bankruptcy that the high costs of payday products impose on consumers have a negative net impact on the broader economy that will tax the long term returns of a diversified investment portfolio.”

Trillium’s complete comments can be read here.

The use of McAfee’s SmartFilter product by repressive countries to suppress speech has been of great concern to us for the past year. Trillium has been engaging Intel on these issues since April of 2011. We believe that taking this important step reduces the company’s risk profile and demonstrates respect for human rights impacts.

Trillium continues to engage Intel on human rights issues and we look forward to continuing this productive dialogue.

Bowing to pressure from stakeholders, Pakistan’s Ministry of Information Technology, Farooq Ahmed Awan, has indicated that the project, known as “the great firewall of Pakistan”, may be withdrawn.

April 9, 2012

Contact: Randy Rice, Trillium Asset Management, LLC – 617-423-6655

Shareholder Group: Vote Yes on Network Neutrality, for the Good of Investors, Telecom Companies and the Economy

Trillium Makes Case to Shareholders Before Landmark Votes

BOSTON, MA – As shareholders of AT&T (NYSE – T), Verizon (NYSE – VZ) and Sprint (NYSE – S) prepare to vote for the first time to uphold network neutrality policies on wireless networks, Trillium Asset Management, LLC (“Trillium”), an investment management firm, wrote an open letter to fellow Verizon shareholders today urging a yes vote on network neutrality to protect their investments, the economy, under-represented communities and the interests of all wireless consumers.

“In light of the huge financial and social benefits of an open Internet, we call on shareholders to tell these companies that providing preferential treatment for some content while discriminating against other content is unacceptable,” said Trillium Vice President Jonas Kron. “We believe the weight of the evidence clearly demonstrates that network neutrality is in the interests of the companies’ shareholders as well as the interests of all consumers.”

“Given this issue’s potential significance for the future of these companies, our economy and our society, we believe that investors should support these proposals” stated Laura Campos, director of shareholder activities at the Nathan Cummings Foundation, the lead filer of the Sprint proposal.  “America has long prospered when principles of freedom and liberty are honored, and for the sake of its reputation and long-term financial health, we hope that Sprint will now embrace these principles in the operation of its wireless broadband networks.”

Network neutrality is a core principle that has guided the Internet since its inception. This principle enables an open Internet by making sure that companies that provide Internet access treat all content equally—regardless of source, destination or ownership.  This prevents a handful of large companies from paying wireless providers premium rates in exchange for faster speeds on their sites than others receive. Without it, consumers risk experiencing a dramatically different Internet, where large corporate sites able to pay premium costs load and operate at fast speeds while smaller newer sites struggle to function and compete with slower  speeds. 

Today’s letter is in support of the shareholder proposal at Verizon that asks the company to publicly commit to operating its wireless broadband networks in a manner consistent with network neutrality principles. Trillium issued a similar letter to AT&T shareholders last week and a letter regarding a similar shareholder proposal filed at Sprint will be issued in the coming weeks.

Trillium’s letter cites economic studies from McKinsey, New York University, University of Florida and University of Notre Dame that suggest “enormous financial benefits” created by the current open Internet governed by network neutrality. It also expresses concern that AT&T, Verizon and Sprint will “tamper with this engine of economic growth” by creating “fast lanes” on their wireless networks for those willing and able to pay a premium.

These proposals come at a time of explosive growth of wireless Internet use. A recent study by Cisco concluded that from 2011 through 2016 global mobile data traffic will increase 18 times. Mobile Internet users will outnumber traditional wireline users in the United States by 2015, according to the research firm IDC.

Trillium Vice President, Jonas Kron will address AT&T shareholders, senior management and board members at the company’s annual meeting on April 27, 2012. Verizon’s annual shareholder meeting will be held on May 3, 2012 and Sprint’s on May 15, 2012.

The scheduled votes follow a significant victory for investors. In February 2012, the Securities and Exchange Commission rejected AT&T’s, Verizon’s and Sprint’s efforts to censor their shareholders by attempting to deny shareholders their right to put these matters on the companies’ proxies.

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 Trillium Asset Management, LLC is the oldest independent investment advisor devoted exclusively to sustainable and responsible investing.  With over $1 billion in assets under management, Trillium has been managing equity and fixed income investments for high net worth individuals, foundations, endowments, religious institutions, and other nonprofits, since 1982.  A leader in shareholder advocacy and public policy work, Trillium’s goal is to deliver both impact and performance to its investors.

The views expressed are those of the authors and Trillium Asset Management, LLC as of the date referenced and are subject to change at any time based on market or other conditions.  These views are not intended to be a forecast of future events or a guarantee of future results.  These views may not be relied upon as investment advice.  The information provided in this material should not be considered a recommendation to buy or sell any of the securities mentioned.  It should not be assumed that investments in such securities have been or will be profitable.  To the extent specific securities are mentioned, they have been selected by the authors on an objective basis to illustrate views expressed in the commentary and do not represent all of the securities purchased, sold or recommended for advisory clients.  The information contained herein has been prepared from sources believed reliable but is not guaranteed by us as to its timeliness or accuracy, and is not a complete summary or statement of all available data.  This piece is for informational purposes and should not be construed as a research report.

If you have specific questions regarding Trillium’s products or services please visit our website at www.trilliuminvest.com or call us at 617-423-6655.

Producing enough food to feed the world’s rapidly growing population will require the international community to ensure the sustainable use of the world’s most critical finite resource, water.

Trillium has been engaging companies and encouraging them to develop both short term and long term strategies to significantly reduce their fresh water usage.

Jonas talked about the potential impacts that a water supply shortage could have on a company’s agricultural supply chain.

You can see the interview here.

Trillium has recently withdrawn resolutions filed with Chubb Corp. (NYSE – CB), State Street Corp. (NYSE – STT) and Halliburton Company (NYSE – HAL) after the companies committed to  make improvement in their transparency and accountability in their corporate spending on political activities.

“As long-term investors, Trillium is concerned that gaps in transparency and accountability expose companies to reputational and business risks that could threaten long-term shareholder value.  Publicly available data does not provide a complete picture of a company’s political spending,” said Shelley Alpern, Vice President of Trillium Asset Management. “We applaud Chubb, Halliburton and State Street for recognizing the risks involved in political spending, and mitigating them with stronger governance processes and greater transparency,” Ms. Alpern added.

This was the first resolution related to corporate political spending that Trillium has filed with Chubb Corporation.  Chubb has agreed to disclose direct and indirect contributions made to political candidates, committees or tax exempt organizations engaging in political activities, with names of recipients and amounts contributed, listed by category.

Similar resolutions filed with Halliburton received substantial and increasing shareholder support over the past two years, garnering 30 percent of shareholder votes in 2010 and 46 percent in 2011. “Halliburton’s policies – which were fairly restrictive to begin with — will be stated more clearly as a result of our dialogue, and its disclosures will cover any payments made to independent committees and any political spending done with its payments to trade association,” Alpern commented. “The company told us that it does not make contributions to federal or state candidates, 501c-4’s or 527 committees.”

A resolution concerning corporate political spending was filed with State Street Corp. in 2011 and received 44 percent of shareholder support. State Street made a number of significant improvements to its disclosures and policies, including prohibiting its trade organizations from using its membership dues for political contributions and activities (including contributions to 527s) and agreeing to disclose its political contributions to 527s and tax-exempt organizations.

“We are delighted that State Street has taken this prudent step which is in the best interests of the company and its investors. We worked with the company for two years on questions surrounding political spending disclosure and believe this is an important development in the financial services industry,” said Jonas Kron, Vice President of Trillium Asset Management.

“With Trillium’s help, the number of companies adopting political spending disclosure has hit 100,” said Bruce F. Freed, president of the Center for Political Accountability. “It reflects growing acceptance of the need to address the heightened risks posed by political spending.”

Contact:   Shelley Alpern, Trillium Asset Management (617) 423-6655

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Trillium Asset Management, LLC is the oldest independent investment advisor devoted exclusively to sustainable and responsible investing. With over $970 million in assets under management, Trillium has been managing equity and fixed income investments for high net worth individuals, foundations, endowments, religious institutions, and other nonprofits, since 1982. A leader in shareholder advocacy and public policy work, Trillium’s goal is to deliver both impact and performance to its investors.

“Since Bristol Bay is one of the world’s largest sustainable salmon fisheries, it plays an important role in the supply chains of a number of our wholesale and retail members,” said Erik Lieberman, FMI’s Regulatory Counsel, in a letter to the EPA.

“Investors representing $170 billion in assets have expressed similar support to the EPA and we are delighted to see an industry association as important as FMI speak up as well,”  said Jonas Kron, Vice President of Trillium Asset Management, in a recent press release.

“We are excited to have Liz join Trillium. Her strong analytical skills will be a great complement to Trillium’s investment process,” commented Matt Patsky, Trillium’s CEO. “Our firm continues to experience significant growth in institutional and individual assets. Having another experienced portfolio manager allows us to effectively manage this growth,” continued Mr. Patsky.

“I am thrilled to be joining Trillium. I have long respected the firm’s disciplined investment process; while staying on the leading edge of  integration of environmental, social and governance factors. Trillium’s strong performance record and shareholder advocacy victories are well known and I am excited to bring my experience to this team.” said Ms. Levy.

Prior to joining Trillium, Ms. Levy worked as a portfolio manager for Winslow Management, a division of Brown Advisory managing the Winslow Green Large Cap strategy and Winslow Green Growth strategy. She also provided equity research across Brown Advisory’s strategies, with a focus on water companies and green transportation companies. Before joining Winslow, Ms. Levy was a research associate for Tellus Institute, an environmental research organization. She currently serves on the Steering Committee of the Social Investment Research Analysts Network (SIRAN).

Ms. Levy holds a B.S. in Chemistry from the College of William and Mary and a Master of Environmental Management from the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies.

The letter focuses on deposit “advance” loans which banks structure like loans from payday lenders. These loans are high-cost and have a short-term balloon repayment, trapping low-wealth and low-income borrowers in a cycle of expensive and increasing debt, causing serious financial harm.

The letter can be viewed here.

A press release from the Center for Responsible Lending can be viewed here.

“Citizens United allows corporations to use their enormous wealth to drown out the voices of the American people, and it allows them to do so anonymously”, Mr. Patsky said in his testimony.  “The lack of transparency and oversight in corporate political activity encourages behavior that puts corporations and its shareholders at risk”, he continued.

Matt’s testimony can be read here.

The proposed open pit mine would be located at the headwaters of the Bristol Bay watershed, which produces 50 percent of the world’s commercial supply of wild sockeye salmon.

“Opposition to the Pebble mine project has translated into a barrage of legal, political and regulatory hurdles over the last year,” said Jonas Kron, an analyst with Trillium Asset Management, who reviewed the report. “After scrutinizing the project details, we believe there are significant risks that must be considered,” he added.

In 2011, Trillium organized a group of shareholders representing $170 billion of assets under management to publicly issue a joint statement calling for the Environmental Protection Agency to protect this vitally important national resource.

To read the investment advisory, click here.

The companies had sought to block shareholders from voting on the proposals by arguing, among other things, that network neutrality was not a “significant public policy issue.”

The SEC rejected that argument in view of “the sustained public debate over the last several years concerning net neutrality and the Internet and the increasing recognition that the issue raises significant policy considerations.”  Shareholder proposals regarding net neutrality had been successfully blocked in three prior years.

“Wireless networks in many ways represent the future of the Internet and the digital economy – which is why it’s so important that these principles be considered by the companies and their investors” said Farnum Brown, Chief Investment Strategist for Trillium Asset Management.

To read the press release and the SEC’s letter, click here.

Contacts:
Lisa MacKinnon, Trillium Asset Management (617) 423-6655
Katie Cheney, First Peoples Worldwide (540) 899-6545

February 1, 2012 — First Peoples Worldwide (FPW), a global indigenous nonprofit dedicated to strengthening Indigenous Peoples, today announced a new partnership with Trillium Asset Management.  Under the terms of the partnership, Trillium is undertaking custom research and shareholder advocacy focused on how corporate policies and programs can better protect and enhance Indigenous Peoples’ rights.

Founded in 1997 by widely acclaimed advocate Rebecca Adamson, FPW supports projects that preserve biodiversity, identify contemporary applications for traditional knowledge, mitigate the impact of climate change, and advocate free prior informed consent.

Adamson, a Cherokee, has developed creative, mutually beneficial economic models since 1970 and was just interviewed for the 2013 PBS series entitled “Women Who Make America.” Her work includes creating the first microloan fund in the United States, the first tribal investment model, a national movement for reservation land reform, and legislation that established new standards of accountability regarding federal trust responsibility for Native Americans.

First Peoples’ new small grants fund, Keepers of the Earth, makes grants directly to communities in ways that ensure capital is engaged to reflect cultural values.  It is an effective platform for donors who want 100 percent of their monies directed to some of the most remote grassroots communities in the world. FPW is the only organization worldwide that distributes global grants using the collaborative intelligence of indigenous wisdom to address contemporary challenges in areas of wealth, environment and cultural preservation.

In keeping with Rebecca’s ongoing focus on innovation, she looked to Trillium to help build a new partnership to promote Indigenous voices in the corporate boardroom.

Trillium is the oldest independent investment firm focused exclusively on Sustainable and Responsible Investing. Under this partnership, Trillium is leveraging its expertise in corporate responsibility research and advocacy as well as its deep ties within the sustainable investing community. This collaboration culminates in a FPW publication called “Corporate Engagement Strategies: Indigenous Partnerships for Best Practice Solutions.”

As part of this publication, Trillium is providing FPW with regular research updates examining best practices in corporate America and reviewing new developments in legal cases and local and national legislation.

Trillium is also helping FPW engage in broader policy discussions around corporate responsibility.  For example, Trillium helped FPW provide formal input into the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Guidelines’ next generation framework. A recent letter signed by Rebecca Adamson, and supported by Trillium, makes the case that the current GRI reporting guidelines can be significantly improved by developing indicators that more explicitly address the reporting organizations’ impact on Indigenous communities and how well companies are equipped to anticipate, forestall and mitigate negative impacts.

According to CEO Matt Patsky, “We believe Trillium Asset Management is uniquely positioned to work with First Peoples in developing cutting edge research and advocacy on Indigenous peoples’ issues. We have been integrating these issues into our investment process since our founding in 1982.”

Rebecca Adamson said of the partnership, “Our partnership with Trillium signifies one of the first genuine platforms for Indigenous grassroots voices to be heard by corporate America. Trillium’s deep understanding of research and advocacy related to corporate sustainability policies is a powerful springboard that drives grassroots voices into the boardroom.”

This partnership illustrates well Trillium’s ability to provide custom research and advocacy services on behalf of other groups of investors.  Trillium believes there may be a strong demand for such a service from a variety of investor groups.

This partnership is a natural extension of the work Trillium has undertaken for some time to address Indigenous peoples’ rights. Trillium was one of the first investment companies to explicitly reference Native American and Indigenous peoples’ rights as a specific area of focus in its sustainable investment criteria. Trillium also addresses these issues through dialogue and shareholder proposals with some of the largest companies in America.

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First Peoples Worldwide is a global development nonprofit based in Fredericksburg, VA with expertise in indigenous management principles and solutions for best practice in corporate strategies. The FPW flagship fund Keepers of the Earth links donors directly with communities all over the world by making small grants in ways that successfully apply indigenous intelligence and support economically effective platforms for positive change.

Trillium Asset Management, LLC is the oldest independent investment advisor devoted exclusively to sustainable and responsible investing. With over $950 million in assets under management, Trillium has been managing equity and fixed income investments for high net worth individuals, foundations, endowments, religious institutions, and other non-profits since 1982. A leader in shareholder advocacy and public policy work, Trillium’s goal is to deliver both impact and performance to its investors.

The letter was sent to Alaska Air, Amazon, Boeing, Costco, Expeditors, F5 Networks, JC Penney, Keybank, McDonalds, Nordstrom, PG&E, Perkins Coie, Paccar, T-Mobile, State Farm, Safeway, REI and Walgreens. It was signed by Trillium, the Equity Foundation, the Pride Foundation, the Sustainability Group at Loring, Wolcott, Calvert Investments, the Horizons Foundation, the Unitarian Universalist Association, and the Tides Foundation.

Trillium Vice President Shelley Alpern said, “Many of the companies we are contacting have admirable LGBT workplace policies. We hope that they will act quickly to ensure that their commitment to fairness and respect for diversity are not undercut by the inability of their LGBT workforce to marry in Washington State. The states that are beginning to recognize and allow gay marriage will have an advantage in attracting and retaining a wider pool of workers.”

The marriage equality bill has been voted out of committee and is said to be on a fast track toward a full vote by Washington legislators.

The full text of the letter can be viewed here.

Since the mid-’90s, Trillium has promoted LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) workplace equality through corporate dialoge and shareholder resolutions. More information about these initiatives can be found here.

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