We are deeply concerned about the Russian government’s invasion of Ukraine. It is troubling to witness senseless aggression and its devastating human cost. As these events reveal, however, we can also find hope in acts of goodwill. Communities—within Ukraine and around the world—are giving aid and refuge. People everywhere are finding ways to make a positive impact. Solidarity goes a very long way in moments like these.
Our goals of universal human dignity and ecological sustainability compel us to act quickly, conduct diligent research, and use our voice. We are continuously examining our Funds’ exposure to Russia.
- We do not hold or approve stock in Russian-domiciled companies due to a wide variety of social, environmental, and governance concerns—such as corruption, bribery, government ownership, and censorship.
- Russian sovereign debt has never been approved for investment because of concerns related to human rights, press freedom, and corruption, as well as the country’s nuclear and cyberwarfare capabilities.
- A number of international companies have factories, stores, and other operations in Russia. We are monitoring the responses of these companies, as they comply with sanctions, or as many have taken actions to voluntarily suspend their business activities in Russia.
As the conflict continues, we will leverage our voice as investors. A core component of our approach is initiating dialogue. We will be contacting companies to better understand the steps they take to protect human rights and mitigate legal, financial, physical, and reputational risk.
We also encourage companies to provide access to goods, services, healthcare, and communications resources that benefit civilian populations. It is important to us that companies make meaningful efforts to help reduce the ongoing impact of the conflict by supporting the Ukrainian people and those who have been displaced or forced to leave their country.
At Domini, our Impact Investment Standards are—and have always been—central to our work. They’re behind our long-standing decision to exclude investments with significant ties to weapons production, nuclear power, and fossil fuels—three elements that have caused significant suffering and uncertainty during this conflict in Ukraine. With our standards in hand, we’re able to respond to developments carefully and quickly by examining our investments and engaging with portfolio companies. We will continue to focus on this crisis and help meet the needs of our global community.
Sincerely yours,
Carole Laible, CEO and
Amy Domini, Founder and Chair