Falls Church, Va., 1/5/16 – Azzad Asset Management and a nonprofit organization focused on workers’ rights have filed shareholder resolutions with Alphabet (formerly Google), calling on the company to implement fair hiring practices with respect to the Arab Palestinian population working at its offices in Israel.
Azzad co-filed in support of the lead filer, The Holy Land Principles, Inc., which was founded by Father Sean McManus, an activist who opposed British discrimination against Catholics in Northern Ireland in the 1980s. The Holy Land Principles are inspired by The MacBride Principles, which Fr. McManus used to advocate for fair employment in Northern Ireland. They eventually became the congressional standard for economic dealings with Northern Ireland and were adopted by dozens of U.S. cities, companies, and institutions.
The shareholder proposal submitted to Alphabet is intended to guard against the unequal treatment of workers in Israel-Palestine. Alphabet is one of 546 U.S. companies operating in Israel. Filing the shareholder resolution is not intended as an indictment of the firm’s current employment practices.
It reads in part:
” that Alphabet benefits by hiring from the widest available talent pool. An employee’s ability to do the job should be the primary consideration in hiring and promotion decisions. Implementation of the Holy Land Principles — which are pro-Jewish, pro-Palestinian and pro-company — will demonstrate concern for human rights and equality of opportunity in its international operations.”
The Holy Land Principles do not take a position on any particular political solution to the problems in Israel-Palestine. They only call on American companies operating in the region to practice fair employment.
ABOUT AZZAD
Azzad Asset Management, investment advisor to the Azzad Funds and sponsor of the Azzad Ethical Wrap Program, is committed to providing investment services designed to help people enjoy optimum performance without compromising their values. Azzad is a member of the Forum for Sustainable and Responsible Investment, the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility, and the Accounting and Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions. The firm, based outside Washington, DC, is a registered investment advisor.
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Contact: Investment Communications Director Joshua Brockwell, 703-207-7005, ext. 109, joshua@azzadfunds.com; Amina Rubin, 703-207-7005, ext. 120, amina@azzadfunds.com
