GAC09009
April 18, 2009

MRTI continues to move forward on Israel/Palestine work and other business

Contact:
Mindy Marchal, (502) 569-5212

SAN FRANCISCO, Ca. - The Committee on Mission Responsibility Through Investment, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s 12-member body charged with use of the church’s investments as an instrument of mission, held its first meeting of 2009 here April 17 and 18, addressing a range of issues.

The meeting began with a brief conversation about general operating procedures and how to improve their communication, and tell their stories, to the larger church. “It’s important that we (MRTI) hold these discussions in an open meeting so that, as a committee, we are transparent in our work just as we seek corporations to be transparent in theirs,” commented the Rev. Brian Ellison, a pastor from Kansas City, Mo., who chairs the committee.

The meeting then moved quickly into a conversation about the committee’s work being done as it relates to Israel/Palestine. This discussion included a review of the 2004 and 2006 General Assembly actions involving “phased, selective divestment” in companies profiting from the violence in the region. In 2008 the General Assembly reaffirmed MRTI’s work and directed that the committee continue its work and report back to the 2010 General Assembly that will be held next July in Minneapolis. At its meeting this week, the committee reviewed input it had received from around the church since these Assembly actions.

The committee this week set target dates in anticipation of making recommendations to the General Assembly Council regarding Israel/Palestine. The committee reviewed the status of engagement efforts with the companies initially selected for this process, including upcoming dialogues and shareholder meetings planned for May and June. The four companies that continue to be actively engaged include Caterpillar, Motorola, ITT Industries and United Technologies. Citigroup was on the initial list, but was removed in 2007 after they successfully documented that they had put new procedures in place to eliminate the ability for terrorists to launder money through their financial institutions.

The meeting included a presentation by representatives of the As You Sow Foundation, an organization that works to transform corporate behavior and create a more socially and environmentally just society. MRTI has worked with As You Sow to engage Intel Corporation and to encourage TimeWarner to develop a code of responsibility as it relates to child labor. As You Sow shared some of their recent work as it relates to the environment and human rights.

MRTI was established in 1972. Brian Ellison is Committee Chair. Bill Somplatsky-Jarman is staff to the committee, which includes 10 other members, members-at-large and representation from other partner groups and member entities.

Speaking about our relationship to the environment, As You Sow staffer Conrad MacKerron talked about an “overarching principle to create and extend producer responsibility so that between the manufacturer and the user, at the end of the product’s life, there is the least impact on the environment as possible.” He shared stories with the committee about As You Sow’s work with Dell, Apple and Intel to promote product safety.

The committee also received a report from John Lind about the ongoing work of CANICCOR, another MRTI ecumenical partner, to engage financial institutions on their mortgage lending practices. Members of MRTI, which includes representatives of a variety of other agencies and committees of the church, also shared information on their entities’ recent ministry. Prior to the meeting, several committee members attended the annual conference of Ceres, a partner organization that seeks to establish partnerships between investors, non-governmental organizations and corporations to encourage more sustainable business practices.

The next meeting of MRTI will be held in November.