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Corporate Accountability File The Sierra Club’s Corporate Accountability work has taken off in the past several years. Other accomplishments of note include Boise Cascade’s commitment in 2003 to adopt a comprehensive environmental statement and extend an environmental policy to its suppliers; Staples Office Supplies’ agreement in 2002 to start phasing out purchases of paper products from Canadian boreal forests and U.S. national forests; and Home Depot’s 1999 agreement to stop selling wood products made from old growth trees and/or ancient forests. A major component of the Home Depot effort was the filing of a shareholder resolution by As You Sow Foundation. The Sierra Club’s Shareholder Action Task Force has purchased stock in a number of corporations in order to file shareholder resolutions. For the 2004 Proxy Season, the Club has submitted eight resolutions: General Electric Co., ExxonMobil Corporation, ChevronTexaco Corporation   Requests campaign finance disclosure reports (and their involvement in the Cheney Energy Task Force). BPAmoco P.L.C. Requests disclosure of company plan to protect shareholder value from risks associated with operating in protected areas, such as national parks. Weyerhaeuser Company, Louisiana Pacific Corporation Encourages sustainable forestry and requests report on greenhouse gas emissions. Tyson Foods, Inc., Seaboard Corporation Suggests that environmental stewardship is more likely to occur if CEO and chair of the board positions were separated. A resolution is anticipated at Smithfield Foods, Inc., but has not yet been filed. The task force hopes to work with Sierra Club volunteers and staff working on concentrated animal feeding operations to develop a strong resolution. The shareholder task force is looking for additional opportunities to use shareholder actions to support Club campaigns. For more information, contact co-chairs David E. Ortman at deo@foxinternet.com or Jim Dougherty at jimdougherty@aol.com. Up to Top