May19
PETA Named Most Active Group in Shareholder Activism
Posted at 12:48 PM | Permalink
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Comments (6)
So most people know PETA for our flashy naked protests and work with celebrities to speak out against cruelty to animals. If you live in the Norfolk, Virginia area, you may know PETA as the group that drives around the mobile low-cost spay/neuter clinic or delivers free dog houses to low-income areas.
But unless you’re the CEO or executive of one of the more than 80 unfortunate companies we target through our “shareholder advocacy” program, you may not know about the behind-the-scenes work PETA does to improve the lives of animals worldwide. Through this program, we purchase small amounts of stock in companies that abuse animals in some way—whether for food or clothing or in animal tests—and then use our position as stockholders to submit shareholder resolutions calling on the companies to adopt better animal welfare standards (or in the case of some companies, to adopt any animal welfare standards). We’ve won major victories for animals through using this tactic, like getting Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s to adopt improve their animal welfare practices and getting Dow Chemical to reduce the number of animals killed in its tests.
Our work in this area was recently recognized when As You Sow—an organization dedicated to promoting corporate responsibility—named PETA the most active group in shareholder activism…a title we’ve now held for the fourth straight year in a row. That means that PETA submits more of these shareholder resolutions than any other non-profit organization in the country, regardless of the issue.
These efforts were also discussed in a recent Orlando Sentinel article about PETA, which you might want to check out.
Oh, and don’t worry: while we may not show up to companies’ shareholder meetings in the buff, our “I’d Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur” campaign won’t be going away any time soon.
--Matt
Posted by Matt Prescott, Assistant Director of Corporate Affairs
TAGGED:
shareholder activism
Comments
When will corporate America understand that animal abuse is not acceptable anymore to a wide range of American society- rich, poor, and in between.
Wouldn't it make more sense for these companies to adapt to the change and be PROactive in changing to humane business practices?
Many of these changes aren't even expensive, they just require the mental ability to move out of the backwards ruts we've been in for no reason.
Posted by: kelly | May 19, 2008 02:05 PM
Good work. This displays their "dirty laundry" for all the shareholders to see. As Kelly mentioned, it's too bad some of these companies can't see the huge PR mileage to be gained in adopting some of these humane practices before they're shamed into them.
Posted by: Mike Quinoa | May 19, 2008 02:52 PM
It's great that you provide dog houses to low income families but wouldnt it be a lot better to educate these people to bring their dogs into their homes and not leave them outside for extended periods of time so they would need a dog house?
One thing that really irritates me is people who have dogs chained up all day and all night and never pay attention to them. They should be banned from owning any animal if that is the way they are treated.
Posted by: Rex's Mom | May 19, 2008 04:06 PM
Well Done PETA and very smart...
Keep Up The Good Work...
Posted by: Holly | May 19, 2008 06:42 PM
Wow-Kudos to the very clever strategists at Peta for investing in shareholder power!
Posted by: lynda downie | May 20, 2008 12:23 AM
Way too go!! Very smart!!
Posted by: Carla | May 20, 2008 10:42 AM