Generate Stepping Stones Growth 61-75

Companies of concern

• Human Rights Violations

  • Meta Platforms Inc-Class A 0.50%
    Public Safety

    Where companies are involved in significant harm to individuals or communities, through the unsafe nature of their products or delivery of services and inadequate response to evidence of harm.

    META PLATFORMS INC-CLASS A Public Safety

    Meta is the world’s largest online social network consisting of the Facebook app, Instagram, Messenger, WhatsApp, and many features surrounding these products. The company has faced several investigations and legal action linked to privacy-related allegations, including its handling of user data, and breaches of user privacy. Meta has also been criticised for its poor governance model, as well as allowing its platform in non-English speaking countries to be used to incite ethnic violence.

  • Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc 0.35%
    Human Rights Abuses

    Where the actions of companies have violated global standards on human rights and freedoms including customary rights of indigenous people.

    THERMO FISHER SCIENTIFIC INC Human Rights Abuses

    Thermo Fisher Scientific sells scientific instruments and laboratory equipment, diagnostics consumables, and life science reagents. Thermo Fisher DNA testing kits have been linked to surveillance and discriminatory purposes by the legal authorities in Xinjiang (a region of China) for monitoring and tracking the Muslim Uyghur ethnic group and other minorities. Evidence shows Thermo Fisher Scientific continues to supply DNA sequencing products to the Xinjiang region, despite the company announcing it would halt sales to the region in 2019.

  • Uber Technologies Inc 0.05%
    Labour Rights Violations

    Where the actions of companies have violated global standards on labour rights and freedoms; including poor treatment of workers, child and forced labour, and modern slavery.

    UBER TECHNOLOGIES INC Labour Rights Violations

    Uber is a ride and food delivery service provider. Evidence shows the company has been prioritising revenue growth over driver welfare and user safety. As Uber considers its drivers to be contractors, this limits their employee rights to the minimum wage and other benefits, meaning drivers and vehicles are not subject to the labour standards expected from traditional taxi companies.

• Animal Cruelty

  • LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vui 0.37%
    Animal Welfare Issues

    Where companies, through their products or operations, cause harm to animals e.g., animal entertainment (such as marine parks and rodeos), livestock exports, whale meat etc.

    Fur & Speciality Leather

    Where companies are involved in the production or retail of fur & speciality leather products (where animals are raised purely for skins).

  • Procter & Gamble Co/The 0.12%
    Animal Testing

    Where companies are involved in testing products on animals for cosmetic, personal care, household product, chemical and other uses. We do not include companies which conduct animal testing for pharmaceutical products, medical devices, biotechnology, human food, or pet food.

  • Kering 0.04%
    Animal Welfare Issues

    Where companies, through their products or operations, cause harm to animals e.g., animal entertainment (such as marine parks and rodeos), livestock exports, whale meat etc.

    Fur & Speciality Leather

    Where companies are involved in the production or retail of fur & speciality leather products (where animals are raised purely for skins).

    KERING Animal Welfare Issues Fur & Speciality Leather

    Kering specialises in luxury goods. Evidence shows the company makes several products, including bags, and watch straps from exotic leather, such as crocodile, python and ostrich leather and states that most of its houses do not use fur.

  • Estee Lauder Companies-Cl A 0.03%
    Animal Testing

    Where companies are involved in testing products on animals for cosmetic, personal care, household product, chemical and other uses. We do not include companies which conduct animal testing for pharmaceutical products, medical devices, biotechnology, human food, or pet food.

    ESTEE LAUDER COMPANIES-CL A Animal Testing

    Estee Lauder is a multinational cosmetics company, a manufacturer and marketer of makeup, skincare, fragrance, and hair care products. The company states that its products are sold in countries where animal testing of cosmetic products is required by law.

• Weapons

  • Amphenol Corp-Cl A 0.17%
    Military Weapons

    Where companies derive revenue from the manufacturing of weapons or weapon components and services to the defence industry. We do not include non-weapons-related military support.

  • Walmart Inc 0.15%
    Firearms

    Where companies are involved in the manufacturing or retail of firearms, including guns, rifles, pistols, or components or services thereof.

    WALMART INC Firearms

    Walmart is the USA’s largest retailer by sales, selling a variety of general merchandise and grocery items. Walmart retails shotguns, pistols and ammunition at some of its stores in the USA, as well as components for firearms such as scopes. Walmart are currently working to improve their weapon-realted controls.

• Fossil Fuels

  • Contact Energy Ltd 2.13% 1.5°C
    This company is on a 1.5°C pathway
    Fossil Fuel Power Generation

    Where companies source their power generation from fossil fuels (oil, natural gas, coal) to generate electricity.

    CONTACT ENERGY LTD Fossil Fuel Power Generation

    Contact Energy is one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest electric utilities companies. Contact operates three thermal power stations that employ gas and diesel. In FY2023, 7% of the energy Contact generated came from thermal generation. However, Contact has announced plans for further investment in renewable generation. This includes NZD 1.2 billion in geothermal power, by constructing a new station and expanding capacity at an existing station, along with early developments in wind and solar generation. Therefore, the company is considered to be on a climate change pathway aligned with 1.5°C of global temperature rise.

  • BP PLC-Spons Adr 0.41% !!
    This company is expanding their fossil fuel production and
    is off track with the UN target to limit global temperature
    rise to 1.5°C
    Fossil Fuel Production

    Where companies are involved in the production of fossil fuels (oil, natural gas, coal, shale oil) including exploration, production (including core services), storage, transport (except by rail) and refining.

    BP PLC-SPONS ADR Fossil Fuel Production

    BP, headquartered in the UK, is an integrated oil and gas company that explores for, produces, and refines oil around the world. The company has as reportable segments: gas & low carbon energy, oil production & operations, customers & products, and Rosneft. Additionally, BP plc owns and operates crude oil and natural gas pipelines, processing facilities and NGLs extraction business. Between 2021 and 2023, the company spent an average of USD $858 million per year on exploration activities alone. After generating 1,060 million barrels of oil in 2023, the company plans to expand their operations an additional 2,550 million barrels in the short term (1-7 years).

    The expansion is proposed to extend far and wide across the globe, including in Indonesia, India, Azerbaijan, UAE, Egypt, Mauritania, Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Trinidad and Tobago, USA and the UK. Evidence shows the company is far from being on a climate change pathway aligned with 1.5°C of global temperature rise, as the company’s planned short-term expansion overshoots the IEA Net-Zero Emissions Scenario by 49.8%.

  • Cheniere Energy Inc 0.35% !!
    This company is expanding their fossil fuel production and
    is off track with the UN target to limit global temperature
    rise to 1.5°C
    Fossil Fuel Production

    Where companies are involved in the production of fossil fuels (oil, natural gas, coal, shale oil) including exploration, production (including core services), storage, transport (except by rail) and refining.

  • Franco-Nevada Corp 0.18%
    Fossil Fuel Production

    Where companies are involved in the production of fossil fuels (oil, natural gas, coal, shale oil) including exploration, production (including core services), storage, transport (except by rail) and refining.

  • Eqt Corp 0.12% !!
    This company is expanding their fossil fuel production and
    is off track with the UN target to limit global temperature
    rise to 1.5°C
    Fossil Fuel Production

    Where companies are involved in the production of fossil fuels (oil, natural gas, coal, shale oil) including exploration, production (including core services), storage, transport (except by rail) and refining.

• Social Harm

  • Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd 0.13%
    Adult Entertainment/Pornography

    Where companies are involved in the production or distribution of adult entertainment.

    ROYAL CARIBBEAN CRUISES LTD Adult Entertainment/Pornography

    Royal Caribbean Group is a cruise company that owns and operates three cruise brands. Through its Celebrity Cruises brand, the company offers access to adult-only shows.