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Article

29 Dec 2011

Author:
Robert Kropp, SocialFunds.com [USA]

Shareowner Engagement Leads to Adoption of Human Rights Policy at OM Group

The Jesuit Conference of the United States announced last week that its four-year engagement with OM Group has resulted in the adoption by the company of a human rights policy for its employees, including miners at its cobalt smelter in Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo...According to the Jesuits, their engagement with OM Group began after a visit to the company's smelter in Lubumbashi raised concerns about worker safely at an adjacent site owned by a joint venture partner. In 2007, three children were killed in a workplace accident there...A shareowner resolution filed last year by the Chicago-Detroit Province of the Society of Jesus requested that OM Group develop a human rights policy that conforms with the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights...The resolution gained 43% of the shareowner vote at the company's annual general meeting..."We believe that this is a good beginning but there is much work to be done to make this human rights policy comprehensive," said John Kleiderer, policy director for the Jesuit Conference.