Eight days after the killing of 19 children and 2 teachers Mass shooting In Yuvalde, Texas, shareholders of gun maker Sturm, Ruger resolved on Wednesday to urge companies to hire an outside company to study the impact of their business and products on human rights.
Proposal made by Group of activist shareholders Persons who are members of the Interface Center for Corporate Responsibility are not binding. It is not clear whether Ruger, one of the few public firearm makers, chooses to do so. Ruger will have to open himself to scrutiny by an independent company trying to determine how the company’s business practices and the guns it makes affect human rights on a large scale.
The company urged shareholders to vote against the proposal, and the proposer was designed to allow investors to speak out about the governance of listed companies to “advance gun control agendas that could not be achieved by legislation or other means.” He said he was using the tool.
Ruger’s legal counsel, Kevin B. Reed, did not respond to the email asking for comment. Neither the perpetrators of the recent famous shootings in New York’s Yuvarde and Buffalo used Ruger guns. However, because Ruger is one of three listed firearm companies, it is under more public pressure than other firearm manufacturers, including Daniel Defense. Made a weapon Used in Uvalde.
“Today, investors have stood up for the safety of our children and told Sturm, Ruger that the business is for all people in our country to pursue life, freedom and happiness.” Sister Judy Byron was one of the proponents of the proposal, with its order, Sister Adrian Dominica.
Resolving Ruger’s human rights impact was led by Common Spirit Health, a Chicago-based non-profit hospital chain. Encouraging companies to improve product safety by allowing ICCR members to take ownership of the shares of firearm manufacturers is one of several efforts. A similar proposal concerns this year’s shareholder agent at Smith & Wesson’s Annual General Meeting of Shareholders. Another effort to get Smith & Wesson to adopt human rights policies was rejected by shareholders last year.
Throughout the process, Sister Byron, who dialed the Virtual Ruger Conference on Wednesday morning, said Ruger executives did not mention the shooting or killing of 10 blacks in a supermarket in Buffalo a week ago in Uvalde.
“I was surprised,” she said.
ICCR CEO Josh Zinner said Wednesday’s group victory was “never a solution” to gun violence and mass shootings. Instead, he saw it as “an important first step to mitigate them.”
