[Sri-news] Spring Issue

[Susan Leslie]

SRI News
Spring 2004 Issue

Dear SRI News Subscribers:

This issue contains news about:

(1) New resources for Getting Started in SRI
(2) Reports on Shareholder Activism from UUA CSRI and UU Congregations
(3) Story of a Congregational SRI Sunday Service
(4) Thanks to SRI Booster Rev. Dorothy Emerson

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(1) Getting Started in SRI is a new feature on our website that we feel will be more user friendly.  And it can be used by SRI Advocates and others interested in starting SRI efforts in their Congregations.  It includes information sheets that can be downloaded on: SRI Basics, SRI FAQs, Community Investing, Joining the UUA GIF Fund, How SRI Funds Perform, and a Power Point Presentation on SRI.  Go to <http://www.uua.org/finance/sri/investing/congs.html#gettingstarted>
for these new resources.

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(2) Reports on Shareholder Activism

**From UUA CSRI:

The UUA has co-filed resolutions this season with the Interfaith Center for Corporate Responsibility and other partners for Exxon Mobil to include sexual orientation in their nondiscrimination policy, and with Chevon/TexacoChevronTexaco and with Glaxo Smith Kline on HIV/AIDS reporting and more. See 
<http://www.uua.org/finance/sri/news/04season.html> for a full report.

**From Portia Hamilton-Sperr, First Unitarian, Philadelphia:

On March 3rd 2004, Portia Hamilton-Sperr, representing First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia and on behalf of the New York City pension systems presented the fund`s resolution at the annual meeting of the Walt Disney Company in Philadelphia, concerning the implementation of Disney`s human rights labor standards in China.  Reports by a leading Chinese human rights group, the Hong Kong based Christian Industrial Committee had found violations of Disney`s corporate code of conduct at the toy factories of their suppliers in south China. The resolution asked for better enforcement of Disney`s stated human rights standards and a report back to shareholders in the future, on their implementation. While the resolution had not been expected to pass at this annual meeting, it did receive a larger than anticipated percentage of favorable votes from shareholders as compared to previous years.  

Our thanks to Portia for her help in the continuance of our partnership with the NYC Comptroller's Office and for her time and service.

**From Paul Morgan, First Parish Cambridge MA

We also received a report from First Parish Cambridge MA from Paul Morgan, Investment Committee, on their experience with co-filing a resolution on non-discrimination regarding sexual orientation with Stryker Corp. and how their efforts met with success!  Read his report at <http://www.uua.org/finance/sri/news/firstparishcambridge.html>

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(3) SRI Sunday Service

>From Rev. Jim Sherblom, MIFW:

First Parish of Watertown MA decided to bring the issue of SRI into the heart of their worship life.  Read the report from Rev. Jim Sherblom of the Ministers Committee on Financial Integrity and Well Being on the Feb. 29th Service at <http://www.uua.org/finance/sri/index.html>.  You will also find their Order of Service which can be downloaded and used to create your own service.

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(4) Many thanks to Rev. Dorothy Emerson who spoke on SRI at the Urban Ministry Social Justice Conference in Boston on March 20th.  Rev. Emerson is a member of the UU Ministers Committee on Financial Integrity and Well Being.  She also conducts SRI workshops and consultations for congregations through her work at Rainbow Solutions.  See www.rainbowsolutions.us/ for more information.

We appreciate all the folks out there working to engage our congregations (and members) in this transformative practice!

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Please send us *your* news and  resource recommendations for SRI News and our website.


> Susan Leslie
> Director of the Office for Congregational Advocacy & Witness
> Unitarian Universalist Association
> 25 Beacon Street, Boston MA  02108
> sleslie at uua.org
> (617) 948-4607
> (617) 367-3237 (fax)
> Subscribe to Social Action Chair News at
> www.uua.org/mailman/listinfo/sac-news
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