RiskMetrics calls Open MIC Internet Project “biggest new campaign in the human rights arena for the 2009 U.S. proxy season.”

Risk Metrics Group (RMG), the nation’s largest and most influential proxy advisory firm, provides research to some of the world’s largest and most important financial institutions about the environmental and social issues shareholders raise in proxy statements. It’s guidance to large pension funds often determines the fate of shareholder proposals filed by Trillium Asset Management and our fellow shareholder activists. We were, therefore, very pleased when RMG recently wrote a lengthy piece on the Open MIC shareholder initiative describing it as the “biggest new campaign in the human rights arena for the 2009 U.S. proxy season.” The story discusses the importance of Internet service provider (ISP) network management practices to privacy and freedom of speech and includes comments from our colleague Pat Doherty, director of corporate social responsibility (CSR) for the New York City Comptroller’s Office and a lead member along with Trillium Asset Management of the Open MIC effort this year. He told RMG, “This is a long-term campaign and serious policy issue for business and society as well, in our country and others.” He went on to say that ISP filtering “has to be watched very closely.” You can read the full story here.