As You Sow's ExxonMobil Resolution Has Passed!

Exxonmobil are being sued for misleading consumers about their effect on climate change in a manner “reminiscent of the tobacco industry’s long denial campaign about the dangerous effects of cigarettes.”

Here's how ExxonMobil has similar characteristics to the tobacco industry. Find out more on Tulipshare's blog. 

In October 2021, top executives from ExxonMobil and other oil companies [denied spreading](https://apnews.com/article/climate-science-business-environment-and-nature-campaigns-cf3524fd23854d2c2df2d3294dd58134) climate change misinformation over charges that the industry withheld data about the dangers of global warming. 
The company’s CEO, Darren Woods, claimed that the company "is and has always been truthful" and "long acknowledged the reality and risks of climate change" and "devoted significant resources to addressing those risks."

But how accurate is this claim? The [lawsuit](https://apnews.com/article/climate-environment-darren-woods-lawsuits-9650332ea94d2ee22eb415e80b142134), filed in 2019 by Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey, argues that it’s not very accurate. It accuses the mega-corporation of using "sophisticated, multi-million dollar" and "greenwashing” campaigns to create an environmentally conscious and responsible image as well as to downplay the facts and risks related to climate change.

ExxonMobil’s attempts to dismiss the trial were overruled, this was seen as a first stepping stone to the state's effort to end the misrepresentation and false claims made in Exxon's campaigns which have helped to sow confusion about the state of climate science. [Healey commented](https://apnews.com/article/climate-environment-darren-woods-lawsuits-9650332ea94d2ee22eb415e80b142134), "We look forward to proceeding with our case and having our day in court to show how Exxon is breaking the law and to put an end to the deception once and for all." 

This is not just a victory for Massachusetts and the several cities and counties that have joined the lawsuit to hold Exxon accountable, but it's also a victory for the rule of law and for future generations

## Similarities with the tobacco industry 

"[Greenwashing](http://www.tobaccopreventioncessation.com/-Greenwashing-tobacco-products-through-ecological-and-nsocial-equity-labelling-A,99674,0,2.html)" is when a company promotes itself or its products as environmentally friendly without actually reducing its environmental impact, therefore giving consumers a false impression of being ‘green’. This is a popular strategy for deflecting public attention away from pressing social and environmental crises. Evidence of Big Oil’s attempts to greenwash is in abundance, but did you know the tobacco industry has a long history of greenwashing too? 

Some examples of the way the tobacco industry has misled consumers through greenwashing include[ investing in global corporate responsibility efforts](https://tobaccotactics.org/wiki/csr-strategy/), [presenting](https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/09/bat-unveils-sustainable-investment-in-environment/) their products as sustainable, and [organizing beach clean-ups](https://web.archive.org/web/20200319173306/https:/www.pmi.com/sustainability/sustainability-report). This propaganda is presented in an effort to promote the industry as a responsible corporate citizen while deflecting attention away from tobacco-related disease, deaths, and social costs as the same production methods and supply chain are retained. 

These tactics have drawn [criticism from environmental activists](https://www.who.int/news-room/events/detail/2022/05/12/default-calendar/talking-trash--behind-the-tobacco-industry-s--green--public-relations), who argue that the industry is not contributing to social and environmental causes, but rather simply using them as a PR tool. All in all, the funds spent on these efforts are insignificant when compared to the benefits gained from hazardous manufacturing techniques such as deforestation or even child labour. So far, these tactics have proved successful for the industry, leading to record profits in the past decade. 

ExxonMobil is now using a similar approach. ExxonMobil has been actively campaigning and publicising its new alternative fossil fuels, which the company believes to be more environmentally friendly and sustainable. In fact, ExxonMobil believes so strongly in its new "green" fuels that it has named them as the centrepiece of its public relations campaign. Meanwhile, ExxonMobil continues to focus the [majority of its actual operations](https://www.clientearth.org/projects/the-greenwashing-files/exxonmobil/) around fossil fuels.

Given that environmental activism is growing worldwide, as well as the demand for more efficient and renewable energy products, how can ExxonMobil continue to prove that its business is not greenwashing? 

[At this year's AGM, shareholders called on ExxonMobil](https://tulipshare.com/campaigns/XOM?utm_source=organic&utm_medium=blog&utm_campaign=ExxonMobileTobacco) to disclose the climate risks associated with its fossil fuel expansion. The proposal, filed by [As You Sow](http://asyousow.org) and currently available to back as a campaign through Tulipshare, sought to hold ExxonMobil responsible for continuing to develop new fossil fuel resources as well as providing accurate climate impact disclosures. The [proposal passed](https://tulipshare.com/blog/exxonmobil-resolution-passed) with a 51% majority backing from other shareholders. As You Sow, in partnership with Tulipshare, will continue to monitor the disclosure process and feedback to those who backed the campaign through [Tulipshare’s platform](https://tulipshare.onelink.me/8Kpa/l62yhykt).

Please remember that with investments, your capital is at risk - meaning your investments can go up as well as down.


What does ExxonMobil have in Common with the Tobacco Industry?

Find out more about our JP Morgan campaign

Some dual-class share structures can potentially distort voting rights within corporations and make it more difficult for high-equity stakeholders to influence governance. But what does this mean for activist investors? 

What do dual-class share structures mean for activist investing? Find out on the Tulipshare Blog

Blog - What are Dual Class Share Structures? | Tulipshare

## What are dual-class share structures? 

A dual-class share structure (DCSS) is a financial arrangement that sees the issuance of two shares in the same company. The critical distinction is that one type of share has more power than the other, so they’re not equal.  

The holder of the more powerful share in a DCSS can obtain disproportionate voting rights when their financial interest is considered. In theory and by definition, a DCSS arrangement goes against the [one share, one vote policy](http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/69545/1/Burkhart_One%20share%20-%20one%20vote%20the%20theory_author_2008%20LSERO.pdf).

Sometimes referred to as [super-voting shares](https://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/company-multiple-share-classes-super-voting-shares/), a DCSS is comprised of Class A and B shares, with the former typically superior to the latter. However, this is not always the case, and the converse could be true, depending on how the stocks are listed. Furthermore, it is worth bearing in mind that DCSS is more often used in respect to liquidity too, not just voting rights.

Berkshire Hathaway - Warren Buffet’s company - deals in dual-class stock structures. Crucially, this enables founders, executives, and family members to control most of the voting power without having the equity to match. This is fairly standard practice, as those that built the company do not want to lose control and seek to protect their interests and management. This is done by establishing preference rights.

Another example is Ford, which gives the family control of [40% of the voting power](https://s23.q4cdn.com/799033206/files/doc_financials/proxy/Ford-2021-Proxy-Statement-April-2021.pdf), in spite of their ownership of a small amount of the company’s equity. 

## Why are dual-class stocks controversial? 

In many respects, dual-class stock structures exist against standard investment practices. Those against DCSS argue that the arrangement enables a small group of individuals to retain control of the company, potentially against the will of the majority shareholders. 

However, those who are in favour of the arrangement suggest that it supports founders to retain control over their companies. This is seen to help prioritise the company's long-term interests and reduce the likelihood of a takeover through a supermajority vote. Dual shares are regularly a feature of seed investment too and can be used as a method of enticing investors to invest at the seed stage (despite being notoriously risky). On top of seed investment, share conversion is another benefit investors can take from dual shares. For instance, if the company in question is successful and manages to go public, their interests are enhanced and protected thanks to the high risk initial investment.

Ultimately, whether you regard DCSS as controversial depends on the side of the fence that you sit on. But what does their existence mean for activist investors? 

## What do dual-class share structures mean for activist investors?

[Activist investing](https://tulipshare.com/blog/what-is-activist-investing-or-shareholder-activism) allows investors to put their money into publicly traded companies before influencing corporate governance by utilising their voting rights. When done correctly, activist investing campaigns could potentially achieve seismic changes in some of the world’s largest corporations.

However, when it comes to dual-class share structures, companies are protected to a certain degree from activist investing, despite proposals still being able to be made. This is because it’s much more difficult for activist investors to secure sufficient voting power in these companies to influence change at the top. 

To use Ford’s example once more, the family controls 40% of the voting power of the entire shareholder base. This generally provides them with a much larger amount of power to help protect the company from activist investor proposals (which can still be submitted and noise still be made).  

Due to the controversial nature of dual-class share structures, several [high-profile sources](https://hbr.org/2018/12/should-dual-class-shares-be-banned) have called for them to be banned. It will be interesting to monitor the future landscape of dual-class share structures and whether or not it becomes easier for activist investors to take action. 

For more information about activist investing, learn how Tulipshare is [leveraging the power of shareholders](https://tulipshare.com/) to seek changes in companies, including Coca-Cola, JPMorgan, and Johnson & Johnson.


Dual-Class Share Structures: What Do They Mean for Activist Investors?

With Amazon’s recent stock-split announcement many wonder what this means for current shareholders and our Tulipshare campaign.

Blog - What is a Stock Split? | Tulipshare

The cost of purchasing just one Amazon share has long been too high for many ordinary investors, but that is now changing thanks to a recent announcement from Amazon.

In March, Amazon (AMZN) shareholders approved the company’s first stock split in 23 years. A stock split is when a company divides its existing stock into multiple shares, subsequently lowering the price of each share and making them more accessible to the average investor. Stock splits do not affect a company’s market capitalisation.

[The split came into effect on Monday and, since then](https://www.forbes.com/advisor/investing/amazon-stock-split/), the price of a single Amazon share has dropped by 95 percent - from $2,450 to around $120.


## What is a stock split?

A stock split happens when a company divides current shares into multiple shares, increasing the number of available shares and lowering each share's price. In the case of Amazon, they implemented a 20-for-1 stock split, which means that existing shareholders will get 19 shares for every existing share owned. This also means that each share is worth only one-twentieth of what it was worth before.

The stock price typically fluctuates as a result, but the company's core worth does not. The result means that equities become more inexpensive and accessible to a broader range of investors, as well as increasing liquidity for the company.

While a stock split may appear to make a firm more inexpensive, it is important to note that the total value of an investor’s shares will be worth the same as they were before the split. 


## Why issue a stock split?

Stock splits are usually a good indication that a company is doing well in the market. The decision to divide stocks is typically made after the price of shares becomes exceedingly costly for the typical investor, making them less accessible and affordable. Despite another excellent year in terms of sales and net profit, Amazon's stock price [dropped by 25%](https://edition.cnn.com/2022/04/28/tech/amazon-earnings-loss/index.html). This price drop was exacerbated by concerns such as supply chain disruptions, increased prices, poor investment decisions, and [poor workers' rights records](https://tulipshare.com/campaigns/AMZN), among other reasons.

Still, at a price of $2,450 per share, a typical retail investor might be unable to purchase any significant number of full shares, or perhaps even limited instead to buy fractional shares, which are only available through limited brokerage firms.  This can be a significant barrier and often a dealbreaker for many investors.  However, at the new, lower price, investors are incentivised to purchase more shares, and opportunities are created for new investors to purchase shares too. 

Another motivation for stock splits [could be an attempt to be included](https://www.cnbc.com/2022/02/01/alphabet-stock-split-paves-way-for-addition-to-dow.html) in the Dow Jones Industrial Average(DJIA). The Dow Jones is a price-weighted index that compares the share prices of 30 significant American corporations to their market capitalisation. 

As a result, a stock split and lower share price could make AMZN more appealing as a DJIA price-weighted business.

## How does it affect Tulipshare users who own stock in Amazon?

The split was approved by shareholders at the company AGM on the 25th of May this year, and the record date for shareholders affected by the split was the 27th of May. This means that anyone who purchased Amazon shares prior to the 27th will automatically have 19 shares for every share owned.  

Further trading began on the new split-adjusted basis on the 6th of June.*

Tulipshare members who hold Amazon shares do not suffer any value adjustments as a result of the stock split. As these cheaper shares make it more affordable, Tulipshare users can also use this opportunity to buy more Amazon shares. In the short term, having an inexpensive price will encourage more retail investors to acquire shares, resulting in a short-term increase in share price. 

Tulipshare has been [actively campaigning to ensure fair and safe working environments](https://tulipshare.com/campaigns/AMZN) for Amazon warehouse workers by ​​pushing Amazon to conduct an independent audit of warehouse working conditions. This year the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) sided with Tulipshare’s proposal, pushing it to a vote at the company’s AGM, setting a precedent for human capital management proposals. Though the proposal ultimately did not receive the majority backing from shareholders needed to pass,  it did manage a whopping 44% support in votes, which would have amounted to a 53% victory had it not been for the large number of insider shares owned by Jeff Bezos.  As the struggle for workers' rights and safety continues, we'll keep you posted on the campaign's progress.

Don't forget to [watch our video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnK7WeATKi0&t=17s) about why Amazon's workers' safety is a concern.

*For more information regarding the record date for this split, please see [Amazon’s Form 8-K filing.](https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/0001018724/000101872422000009/amzn-20220309.htm)

What is a Stock Split and How Does it Affect Investors?

Our Amazon proposal received a whopping 44% backing

You might have been keeping up to date with all the big news regarding our Johnson & Johnson, Amazon, Salesforce and JPMorgan campaigns. But what about our newer campaigns - the ones that came to us as part of our partnership with As You Sow?

Here’s a brief roundup of what happened these past few weeks.

Blog - AGM Results Roundup | Tulipshare

Here’s a brief roundup of what happened these past few weeks, starting with some good news: 

## Caterpillar

We are very happy to announce that **96.5% of Caterpillar shareholders voted in support**of As You Sow’s Climate Action [proposal](https://tulipshare.com/campaigns/CAT?utm_source=organic&utm_medium=blog&utm_campaign=AGMroundup). This is huge news and a critical development in decarbonizing the U.S. Industrial Sector.

Tulipshare users had the opportunity to invest behind this campaign thanks to our partnership with As You Sow. As a result, we will keep all those who invested in Caterpillar through our platform updated with the progress of the report and overall outcome. You can view the breakdown of the vote results here in the 8-K filing.

## ExxonMobil

We are delighted to announce that As You Sow’s proposal for ExxonMobil  to disclose their climate related risks in its fossil fuel expansion **passed with a majority vote of 51%!** You can view the breakdown of the vote results [here](https://d18rn0p25nwr6d.cloudfront.net/CIK-0000018230/d4295f78-3023-4d4c-90a7-a02f4b1caa41.pdf). 

Tulipshare users had the opportunity to invest behind this campaign thanks to our partnership with [As You Sow](www.asyousow.org). As a result, we will keep all those who invested in ExxonMobil through our platform updated with the progress of this disclosure.

Meanwhile, ExxonMobil has appeared in [the news](https://apnews.com/article/climate-environment-darren-woods-lawsuits-9650332ea94d2ee22eb415e80b142134) after their bid to dismiss a lawsuit was rejected by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. The lawsuit was filed by Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey and accused ExxonMobil of deceiving consumers about their effect on climate change in a manner “reminiscent of the tobacco industry’s long denial campaign about the dangerous effects of cigarettes.” 

## Chubb

We’re delighted to say that As You Sow’s [proposal](https://tulipshare.com/campaigns/CB?utm_source=organic&utm_medium=blog&utm_campaign=AGMroundup) for Chubb to issue a report about how it intends to measure its own impact on climate change was **passed with a 72.2% majority! **You can view the company's [Form 8-K ](https://tulipshare.com/campaigns/CB?utm_source=email&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=AGMroundup)to see the results of the AGM here.

Tulipshare users had the opportunity to invest behind this campaign thanks to our partnership with As You Sow. As a result, we will keep all those who invested in Chubb through our platform updated with the progress of this report.


## McDonald’s

As You Sow’s [proposal](https://tulipshare.com/campaigns/MCD) asking McDonald’s to issue a report outlining better sustainable packaging policies for plastics sadly did not receive a majority backing, though it did receive a substantial 41.9% support. This is an encouraging result which enables a re-filing for next year, and has likely caught the attention of McDonald’s management. We will work closely with As You Sow to keep you updated on the next steps. You can review the company’s [Form 8-K filing here](https://sec.report/Document/0000063908-22-000028/).

## Meta (Facebook)

Meta’s AGM was held on the 25th of May and during the meeting they announced that As You Sow’s [proposal](https://tulipshare.com/campaigns/FB?utm_source=organic&utm_medium=blog&utm_campaign=AGMroundup) regarding misinformation and governance of harmful content earned a 19.2 % vote. They have since released their [Form 8-K](https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/1326801/000132680122000066/fb-20220525.htm). We will regroup with AYS to determine our next steps and keep you updated. However, 63.1% of independent shareholders voted in favour of the resolution, which shows that many individual shareholders are engaged and interested in this issue.

## Alphabet (Google)

As You Sow’s [proposal](https://tulipshare.com/campaigns/GOOGL?utm_source=organic&utm_medium=blog&utm_campaign=AGMroundup) for Google to report its water usage (and impacts on climate-related water risk) sadly did not pass, receiving a vote of 22.6%. However, 64.9% of independent shareholders voted in favour of the proposal, which is very encouraging. 

We will work closely with As You Sow to determine the next steps regarding this proposal, and keep you updated along the way.

**We can’t thank you enough for joining us on this journey, and we look forward to seeing what further progress we can make this year!**


AGM Results Roundup

See what happened at this year's Amazon AGM

We are delighted to announce that As You Sow’s proposal for ExxonMobil  to disclose their climate related risks in its fossil fuel expansion passed with a majority vote of 51%.

As You Sow's ExxonMobil resolution passed!

Blog - What happened at the ExxonMobil AGM | Tulipshare

You can view the original proposal [here](https://tulipshare.com/campaigns/XOM), and the breakdown of the vote results [here](https://ir.exxonmobil.com/static-files/4d278f6e-b21e-4fd2-a8ce-13e59e40fc7e). 

Tulipshare users had the opportunity to invest behind this campaign thanks to our partnership with [As You Sow](http://asyousow.org). As a result, we will keep all those who invested in ExxonMobil through our platform updated with the progress of this disclosure. 


We're asking McDonald's to come up with a new plan for their plastics. Read about this campaign here.

Did shareholders back our proposal for a racial equity audit?

Unfortunately Salesforce shareholders did not back our racial equity audit proposal at the 2022  AGM.

Blog - What happened at the Salesforce AGM | TS

Yesterday we told Salesforce shareholders and board members that we weren’t happy with Salesforce’s diversity numbers, and that we have concerns about employee claims of a “toxic” working environment.

We put forward a plan to hold Salesforce accountable, **but unfortunately our plan didn’t get the majority backing we needed from fellow shareholders.**

[Here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Cqg8ACOpbo&) is our statement to fellow shareholders introducing the proposal. We think it sums up the problem quite nicely.

So what does this mean for our campaign? **It’s not over yet, and there is still a lot of work to be done.**

Until Salesforce has filed their Form 8K (within four business days), we won’t know whether or not we received enough votes to re-file again next year.

If we are eligible to re-file next year, we will. It should be said that **even though we didn’t receive a majority backing, some companies will still act on un-passed shareholder proposals**, usually depending on the percentage of backing it received from other shareholders.

In the meantime, we’ve compiled a list of auditors with civil rights related experience, which we intend to put forward if our proposal is successful in the near or far future. We will keep you updated along the way!

**We’d also like to say a huge thank you to everyone who’s backed this campaign.** 

Without you, none of this would have been possible. Though we are not celebrating the win we had hoped for today, we continue to celebrate the potential for shareholder activism to positively impact the corporate world and we’re proud to have your company on this journey.

What happened with the Salesforce AGM?

Find out more about our JPMorgan campaign

Collective action sees people come together to achieve change for the good of others and the world around them. Below, we explore some prominent historical and recent examples before explaining how you can join a collective action campaign today. 

Discover the best examples of collective action throughout history on Tulipshare's blog

Blog - The Best Examples of Collective Action Throughout History | Tulipshare

## What is collective action? 

Collective action refers to actions taken by a group of people based upon a joint decision. For collective action to work, individuals need to work together, and everyone needs to contribute positively towards the agreed goal. It’s not to be confused with individual action, which is steps taken by an individual based upon his or her personal feelings about a situation. Let’s look at collective action in relation to climate change to illustrate this point.

Individual action in regard to climate change would be a case of a person deciding to walk instead of driving, as it’s much better for the environment. However, collective action would be a group of people coming together - the national government, local council, and community volunteers, for example - to implement a green energy project focused on making pavements safer and launching walk-to-work initiatives. While they are both working towards the same outcome, they go about it in different ways. 

## Examples of collective action throughout history 

People have been coming together to take collective actions since the beginning of time. From building the great pyramids in the North African desert to recent global efforts in tackling the Covid-19 pandemic, there are so many instances throughout history when people have come together to take collective action. However, one of the most prominent examples of collective action in recent times has been the global fight against human-induced climate change. 

While nations and companies don’t always sing from the same hymn sheet, there have been innumerable collective actions from around the world that have had a positive impact on human behaviour in relation to our climate. Governments come together at climate agreements - such as the recent [COP26 event](https://www.tulipshare.com/blog/how-to-turn-COP26-into-success) - to discuss collective action and hold one another to account. While we undoubtedly have a long way to go if we’re to secure the sustainable future of our planet, some successful collective actions in relation to climate change include: 

- Sri Lanka’s [Mangrove Conservation](https://www.seacology.org/project/sri-lanka-mangrove-conservation-project/) project brought together stakeholders from various industries to preserve and replant all of the country’s mangrove forests. 

- Rwanda’s [Green Fund](https://unfccc.int/climate-action/momentum-for-change/financing-for-climate-friendly-investment/rwanda-green-fund-fonerwa) sees significant investments in private projects that contribute towards sustainable change in the country.

- British Columbia’s [Carbon Neutral Government](https://unfccc.int/climate-action/momentum-for-change/climate-neutral-now/carbon-neutral-government-program-canada) program saw BC become the first state in North America to take 100% responsibility for its greenhouse gas pollution.

While these three examples illustrate collective action at a national level, we have also seen international collective action when it comes to climate change, but it’s more challenging to measure its success. Only time will tell if ambitious net-zero targets are achievable and whether all stakeholders will work together to achieve the required outcomes. 

## Activist investing as collective action 

There’s a connection between collective action in regard to climate change and [activist investing](https://www.tulipshare.com/blog/how-activist-investing-can-make-a-difference). The way that [Tulipshare](http://www.tulipshare.com) is approaching activist investing is about leveraging the collective power of shareholders to influence policy at some of the most unethical companies on the planet. At Tulipshare, we currently have a campaign to stop [JPMorgan’s](https://www.tulipshare.com/stocks/JPM) investments in fossil fuels, while also putting pressure on [Coca-Cola](https://www.tulipshare.com/stocks/KO) to switch to 100% renewable plastic worldwide. 

Ultimately, we believe in the power of collective action. As history has shown and thanks to various successful interventions relating to climate change, we’re more powerful when we work together. [Find out more](https://www.tulipshare.com/how-it-works) about how you can make a difference with collective action today. 

The Best Examples of Collective Action Throughout History 

Find out more about our Coca-Cola Campaign

While the majority of corporate and state entities deserve a mention for their horrendous track record of greenhouse gas emissions, this article takes a look at five of the worst corporate offenders when it comes to contributions to climate change. 

Corporations are contributing to climate change. Find out on Tulipshare's blog

Blog - Corporations Contributing to Climate Change | Tulipshare

[Research](https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2017/jul/10/100-fossil-fuel-companies-investors-responsible-71-global-emissions-cdp-study-climate-change) shows that just 100 companies are responsible for 71% of global emissions. This is a terrifying statistic, but it also highlights the fact that policy pledges and real action from a small number of companies could make a huge difference to the future of our planet. Let’s take a look at five of the worst corporate culprits when it comes to climate change contributions. 

**1. Chevron**

Born out of Standard Oil, Chevron is [one of the largest polluters in the US](https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/oct/09/revealed-20-firms-third-carbon-emissions). The company has adopted a corporate policy of downplaying the effects of human-induced climate change while contributing around [2.84%](https://stacker.com/stories/3971/90-companies-responsible-two-thirds-historical-greenhouse-gas-emissions) of the total atmospheric carbon dioxide rise between 1880 and 2010. What’s more, Chevron invests just [0.2%](http://blogs2.law.columbia.edu/climate-change-litigation/wp-content/uploads/sites/16/case-documents/2020/20200625_docket-2020-CA-002892-B_complaint.pdf) (pg. 49) of its capital expenditure on low-carbon energy sources while increasing its carbon emissions from crude oil, methane, and oil production (between 2017 & 2019). If we’re to collectively reach net-zero, Chevron needs to be held to account for its greenwashing and real change from within is required. 

**2. ExxonMobil**

It wasn’t until [2014](https://www.ibtimes.com/exxon-mobil-acknowledges-climate-change-risk-business-first-time-1565836) that ExxonMobil even acknowledged that climate change was a real threat to the future of the planet. Of all US refineries, those owned by ExxonMobil have been found to emit the most “small particulate matter”, churning out [eight times](https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/three-exxon-refineries-top-list-us-polluters-2021-05-28/) the average rate of the other top ten refineries in the country. Hedge fund [Engine No.1](https://engine1.com/) shook the corporate world when three of its nominees were appointed to the board of ExxonMobil in 2021. Let’s hope that their successful [activist investing](https://www.tulipshare.com/blog/how-activist-investing-can-make-a-difference) campaign will have a positive long-term influence on the polluting habits of the corporation. 

**3. British Petroleum**

While BP is saying all the right things in relation to climate change action, it’s not clear precisely how the company plans to meet its ambitious targets. An announcement from BP in 2020 suggests that [by 2050, the company will reach net-zero](https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/feb/12/bp-sets-net-zero-carbon-target-for-2050). However, who can forget the horrific nature of the BP oil spill in 2010, which was described by [National Geographic](https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/how-is-wildlife-doing-now--ten-years-after-the-deepwater-horizon) as “one of the worst environmental disasters in history?” In spite of BP’s bold and buzz-word laden rhetoric, it remains to be seen if the company actually takes the required steps to realise its carbon neutral targets. 

**4. Royal Dutch Shell**

Like BP, [Royal Dutch Shell](https://www.shell.com/energy-and-innovation/the-energy-future/our-climate-target.html) is at least trying to say the right things when it comes to climate change policy. The company is committed to investments in renewable energy sources and natural gas alternatives, but its core operations remain in the fossil fuel industry. Statistics show that Royal Dutch Shell has been responsible for [1.67%](https://stacker.com/stories/3971/90-companies-responsible-two-thirds-historical-greenhouse-gas-emissions) of global mean surface temperature rise since record-keeping began. Just like the other polluters already introduced, Royal Dutch Shell needs to do a lot more to help the global community reach net-zero targets. 

**5. Coca-Cola** 

While the four corporations above operate within the oil and gas industry, Coca-Cola contributes to climate change in a notably different way. Alongside Pepsi and Nestle, Coca-Cola is the [biggest plastic polluter](https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/dec/07/coca-cola-pepsi-and-nestle-named-top-plastic-polluters-for-third-year-in-a-row) in the world. Research from [Break Free From Plastic](https://www.breakfreefromplastic.org/globalbrandauditreport2020/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=getresponse&utm_content=LIVE:+Plastic+Polluters+Brand+Audit+Report+&+Invitation+to+Press+Briefing&utm_campaign=Breakfreefromplastic+Membership+Master+List) found that Coca-Cola litter was found in natural sites in 51 of the 55 countries surveyed and was the most littered bottle in 37 of those nations. In 2021, Coca-Cola was [sued](https://www.natlawreview.com/article/coca-cola-sued-deceptive-sustainability-claims) for “Deceptive Sustainability Claims” amid a row with Earth Island, which accused the corporation of covering up their real practices with phoney advertising that is nothing more than greenwashing. 

At Tulipshare, we are currently running a campaign to push [Coca-Cola](https://www.tulipshare.com/stocks/KO) to use 100% of recycled material in its packaging by 2030 - a target that we don’t think is too drastic to implement. We also have a climate change-related campaign running with [JPMorgan Chase](https://www.tulipshare.com/stocks/JPM), and we hope it will help to significantly reduce the company’s investments in fossil fuels. Find out how our ethical [investing campaigns work](https://www.tulipshare.com/how-it-works) today and take action to hold the world’s biggest polluters to account. 

Corporations Contributing to Climate Change: The 5 Worst Culprits 

Our next AGM is Salesforce. Read up about why they have a diversity problem.

In fact, if Jeff Bezos hadn’t voted against us, we would have won!

Tulipshare's Amazon proposal received a whopping 44% backing from shareholders. 

Blog - How Jeff Bezos voted at the Amazon AGM | Tulipshare

Over the weekend Amazon filed their [Form 8-K](**link**) and we learned that our Amazon proposal received a whopping 44% of votes in favour.

Jeff Bezos owns just under 10% of shares. Which means, if you remove insider shares, our vote would have 53% majority…meaning it would have won!

**To put this into perspective:**

**Tulipshare**- a small, newly-formed British fintech startup with a tiny amount of shares in Amazon - **went up against Jeffrey Bezos** - one of the richest people in the world, who owns about 10% of Amazon shares - **and ALMOST WON.**

We may have lost this round, Bezos - but the fight is not over.

We’re encouraged by how much backing this proposal has received from individual and institutional shareholders alike, and even more excited to see shareholder activism shaking things up and showing its potential to make real change for workers’ rights. 

**Antoine Argouges, CEO and Founder of Tulipshare commented**: “At Amazon’s AGM one of the richest menmen on the planet blocked a proposal that would have made working conditions for thousands of Amazon employees safer. But a large percentage of Amazon shareholders did choose the side of progress, siding with our community of individual investors. Without Bezos’ personal vote, our proposal would have passed with a majority of 53%. It means that this fight is far from over. With such support for change, Amazon will face a continuous battle with shareholders on this issue until we win.”

We will keep you updated on the progress of this campaign as the fight for workers’ rights and safety continues.

Don't forget to watch [our video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnK7WeATKi0&t=6s) about why workers safety is an issue at Amazon.


Our Amazon Proposal Received a Whopping 44% Backing from Shareholders

Our next AGM is for Salesforce...read more about the campaign

Investors were asked to vote today at Amazon’s AGM on whether the company should conduct an independent audit of warehouse workers wages and working conditions - sadly they did not support our resolution. 

Tulipshare's fight for warehouse worker safety continues

Blog - Our Amazon AGM results | Tulipshare

**But the fight isn’t over.** 


Here’s a statement from our **founder and CEO, Antoine Argouges**:


“Whilst we are disappointed that our proposal did not pass today, this vote was just the beginning in the fight for workers rights. Amazon has not yet disclosed the full outcome of the vote, but based on the positive conversations we have had with major shareholders this week we have every reason to believe our proposal received strong backing. Once the results are published, we will consider our options for continuing the fight for better working conditions at Amazon.”


We expect to receive more information about the voter breakdown when the 8k is filed, which should happen by 1st June 2022.


But until then, we’ll leave you with a few more comforting words from **Constance Ricketts, our Head of Shareholder Activism**, who worked tirelessly on this campaign:


“Tulipshare launched just a year ago as one of the first investment platforms to allow retail investors to put forward their proposals to transform the practices of large corporations. This momentous campaign was backed by hundreds of consumers and investors, all of them demanding that Amazon take accountability. And despite the company’s attempts to exclude our proposal, the Securities Exchange Commission sided with us, which will mean that more and more proposals like this one will be put to a vote in future.

“We look forward to continuing our work to ensure Amazon becomes the best company both for investors and for consumers, living up to its goal of becoming the ‘Earth’s best employer’.” 

Amazon AGM: Our Fight Continues

We went up against Amazon in the name of worker's safety. See what happened.

Our proposal to divest in fossil fuels was duplicative, so how much backing did the other proposal get?

What happened with fossil fuels at JPMorgan's 2022 AGM?

Blog - JPMorgan AGM results | Tulipshare

On the 17th of May shareholders had the chance to attend and vote at the JPMorgan Chase virtual AGM. 

Did you participate?

If not, you might be curious about the voting results. You will remember that our proposal for JPMorgan to divest in fossil fuels was duplicative. 

Proposal 4, the duplicative one filed by Mercy Investments calling for divestment in fossil fuels - won only 9.97% of votes. Though we do not know Mercy Investments intentions for re-filing, we will continue to push for change at JPMorgan through continued engagement.

The other big news from the day was that ISS and Glass Lewis - two proxy advisors which provide institutional investors with research and data, as well as recommendations on management and shareholder proxy proposals that are voted on at an organization's annual and special meeting - advised voting against JPM's CEO Jamie Dimon’s $52.5 million stock option bonus. The advisory say-on-pay referendum showed that only 31% of shareholders approved of JPM's executive pay based on the preliminary count (compared to eight of the last 12 years where JPMorgan had won approval from more than 90% of votes cast for executive annual compensation - a huge shift).

As always, if you have any questions or would like to share any feedback regarding the shareholder voting and participation process through Tulipshare, we’d love to hear from you -> support@tulipshare.com.


What happened at the JPMorgan AGM?

See what Tulipshare is doing to fight for racial equality at Salesforce

This week we meet the wonderful Lizzie, who talks tirelessly about Tulipshare to anyone who will listen - whether it be to podcasts, universities, influencers, or just innocent bystanders. 

MEET THE TEAM | Lizzie Mello - Strategic Partnerships Manager at Tulipshare

Meet the Team - Strategic Partnerships Manager | Tulipshare

In just a few months she’s helped us form strong partnerships with some of the most exciting NGOs and third-sector businesses on the scene. In short? She’s the best hype-girl we could ask for.

She brings three years of experience in Marketing and Business Development following a degree in Politics and International Relations from The University of Manchester. At Tulipshare, she manages partnerships and influencer marketing, building a strategic plan to partner NGOs, Charities, like-minded businesses and Universities to grow the Tulipshare audience. Lizzie is based in London, UK.

**Why did you join Tulipshare?**
I joined Tulipshare to work with a smart, motivated and growing team on a mission to make a positive impact on the world. 

**What was your first music concert?** 
S Club 7

**What was the last song you listened to?**
[Everlasting Love by Love Affair](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JaYTNsS_m2w)

**If you were a wrestler what would be your entrance theme song?** 
[The Succession theme tune ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77PsqaWzwG0)

**If you had to eat one meal for the rest of your life what would it be?**
Any type of pasta and I’m happy 

**If your pet could talk, what would be the first thing they’d say to you?** 
Please can you stop talking to me in that annoying voice.


Meet the Team: Strategic Partnerships Manager

Amazon's AGM is approaching - shareholders can soon vote on our proposal!

Were you inspired by the Your Money, Your Voice campaign? Want to find out more about how you can make a difference during the AGM season? Here are some things to know, and some things to do next.

Huge climate resolutions are being voted on at company AGMs around the world - and your money could have a big part to play in how those votes go.

Your Money Your Voice - Shareholder Activism UK | Tulipshare

The proverbial “proxy season” happens each year between mid-April and mid-June, during which time many large corporations will host their annual general meetings - or AGMs. In the run-up to these meetings companies give shareholders crucial information (in the form of proxy statements) about the company, including issues that will be up for vote during the annual meeting.

As you can imagine, this is an important time for shareholders because this is when they have the power and potential to try to make real change within a company – [by voting](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4aFBfKXbSZU). Here’s what you need to know.

### FIND OUT IF YOU CAN VOTE

Not all shares come with voting rights attached, so if you own shares in a company make sure you check with your broker-dealer to find out if your shares have voting rights attached. Some platforms such as [Tulipshare’s](https://tulipshare.com/?utm_source=partnership&utm_medium=blog&utm_campaign=yourmoneyyourvoice) ensure that voting rights come with every share purchased, no matter how big or small.

You’ll also need to check the company’s AGM record date to make sure you’ve owned your shares by the required cut off date in order to participate in the company AGM.

If you invest through a pension scheme and you’re not quite sure which stocks you own, you can check with your pension provider - or visit [Make My Money Matter’s](http://makemymoneymatter.co.uk) website for more information about staying informed about where your money goes.

### FIND OUT WHAT’S ON THE BALLOT

You can find out when a company’s AGM will be, as well as what will be on the agenda, by reading a company’s ‘proxy statement’. These are issued well in advance of the company AGM - usually in April. Company AGM dates tend to change year to year, but it’s worth checking the company’s previous AGM dates to work out roughly when to expect more information.

The company proxy statement will list the agenda for the annual meeting, including which resolutions shareholders will have an opportunity to vote on. These could be company resolutions or resolutions proposed by shareholders themselves. 

Typically a company will issue statements about whether or not they support each resolution. It’s important to read through all the material and make sure you’re getting a clear understanding of what you’re voting on.

You may also have the opportunity to listen to presentations about the proposal during the AGM. 

### CAST YOUR VOTE

This is the fun part where you can use your voice. Most companies will let you vote remotely ahead of the AGM (after the proxy statement is available) or else you can vote at the AGM itself.

Many investment platforms are finding ways to make it as easy as possible for individual investors to cast their vote remotely. This could be through a button in an email, or tool in the platform’s portal or app. Contact your broker-dealer or pension provider if you have any questions or need clarification on how to vote. 

Otherwise, the company’s proxy statement should also offer information about how to cast your vote. 
Of course, you can always visit [Tulipshare](https://tulipshare.com/?utm_source=partnership&utm_medium=blog&utm_campaign=yourmoneyyourvoice) or [Make My Money Matter's](http://makemymoneymatter.co.uk) website to find out more about how to use your money and your voice.

![Screenshot 2022-05-12 at 12.03.11.png](https://storage.googleapis.com/cdn-f458e52/Screenshot_2022_05_12_at_12_03_11_ebe9f4ebd9/Screenshot_2022_05_12_at_12_03_11_ebe9f4ebd9.png)


YOUR MONEY, YOUR VOICE: What can you do next?

Check out how we're pushing for safer working conditions at Amazon

There’s no doubt that we live in a fractured world, with so many global issues it can feel overwhelming. This year, the wisdom that ‘no one can do everything, but everyone can do something’ is more pertinent than ever before. 

Activist investing could be how you use your money to advocate for positive social and environmental change. Explore your options on Tulipshare today.

Investing your money where your mouth is | Tulipshare

Below, we explain how you can put your money where your mouth is this year to tackle societal issues that matter to you.

## Activist investing allows you to put your money where your mouth is

Historically, one of the best ways you could contribute to a cause you cared about was by donating to charity and hoping for the best. While charitable giving is still important, it’s certainly not the only way to make a difference. [Activist investing](https://www.tulipshare.com/blog/what-is-ethical-investing) is a modern way of helping to influence policy at the largest global conglomerates to create a better world for us all. 

Similar in some respects to [ethical investing](https://tulipshare.com/blog/what-is-ethical-investing), activist investing leverages the collective power of shareholders to drive change from within. Rather than passively buying shares in companies that align with your values, activist investing has the potential to influence policy and bring about change in some of the world’s most unethical companies. 

Instead of being concerned citizens looking in, shareholder activism enables people to become concerned investors with a collective seat at the table. 

Activist investors can dial up the heat in the boardroom by advocating for policy change from within the organisation. Cool, right?

## Does activist investing really work? 

Sure - [shareholder activism](https://www.tulipshare.com/blog/how-does-shareholder-activism-work) sounds great in principle, but does it actually work?

At [Tulipshare](https://www.tulipshare.com/), we have achieved small steps towards several of our ambitious goals thanks to activist investing campaigns. We are in the process of demanding that [Johnson & Johnson](https://tulipshare.com/campaigns/JNJ) stop global sales of cancer-causing products, as well as fighting for Racial Equity at [Salesforce](https://tulipshare.com/campaigns/CRM). On top of these, we have several [people](https://www.tulipshare.com/categories/people), [planet](https://www.tulipshare.com/categories/planet), and [governance](https://www.tulipshare.com/categories/governance) campaigns that are well underway. We offer individual investors the opportunity to put their money where their mouths are and get involved in campaigns that will actually help bring about positive changes. While there’s a long way to go, collective activist investing is the wake-up call that unethical corporations have needed for decades. 

## How do I get involved? 

If you’re inspired to take action in some of the most important ethical issues of the age, you can join one of our activist investing campaigns today. [Sign up](https://www.tulipshare.com/signup) for a Tulipshare account and invest in a campaign that is close to your heart. We believe in the power of shareholder activism, and we know that our campaigns will bring about real change that wouldn’t have been possible in the not-so-distant past. 



How to Put Your Money Where Your Mouth is This Year 

Time to tell JPMorgan to stop investing in fossil fuels

Tomi is the brains behind getting our messaging out to as many people as possible, so if you've heard of shareholder activism and Tulipshare - it's likely because of him.

Tomi is an experienced performance marketing professional with a proven track record of leveraging data

Blog - Meet the Team | Alli Tomi

A social media whizz who brings seven years of marketing experience to the team, our very own Tomi crunches data, brainstorms messaging, and turns them into ads - all while also completing his Masters degree in Marketing at Nottingham University.

**Why did you join Tulipshare?**

I joined Tulipshare because I felt strongly connected to the company mission, and felt this was a perfect opportunity to use my skill set to help drive change.

**What was your biggest fear when you were five years old?**

I was scared of the dark.

**What’s something most people you meet nowadays wouldn’t know about you?**

That I used to write an entertainment gossip blog in Nigeria.

**If you were a wrestler what would be your entrance theme song?**

[Burna Boy- Ye](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPe09eE6Xio)



Meet the team: Alli Tomi

Demand Johnson & Johnson stop global sales of cancer-causing products

On Thursday the 28th of April, we made our presentation to Johnson & Johnson shareholders at the company’s annual general meeting (AGM). 

Unfortunately we also learned that our resolution didn’t pass. You can review the results of the AGM on the company’s 8K statement here.

## BUT IT’S NOT ALL BAD NEWS
We learned that our resolution received a vote of over 15%, which is very good for a first proposal and, crucially, means we can file again next year. We also learned that Glass Lewis, a major American proxy advisory services company, voted in favour of our proposal - though we still await further information about whether other large stakeholders such as Vanguard voted for or against it. 

Additionally, we learned that our proposal had the biggest number of abstentions, which means those shareholders had to expressly say they were abstaining to vote for or against the proposal. Typically this means that they couldn’t make up their mind at the time of voting. These votes are traditionally easier to win over in future years, as persistence tends to garner increasing support.

## WE’RE NOT GIVING UP 
We continue to work with activist groups on this issue, and continue to receive support from Mercy Investments (whose Racial Justice proposal was the only one that passed at this year’s AGM after their second time filing). The fight is far from over, and we’ll keep you updated every step of the way. 


Our Johnson & Johnson AGM results are in…

Although they’re steps in the right direction, Socially Responsible Investing (SRI) and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Investing aren’t enough if we want to see real change in the world.

ESG and SRI Investing aren't enough to create change

Socially Responsible Investing (SRI) and Environmental, Social, and Governance Investing (ESG) are only the first step. Learn about activist investing now.

Tulipshare looks at how activist investing has the potential to achieve the changes we all so desperately desire. 


### SRI & ESG Investing: What does it mean to invest ethically?

In recent years, it probably hasn’t escaped your attention that [ethical investing](https://tulipshare.com/blog/what-is-ethical-investing) has become somewhat of a buzz term in the financial sector. At its heart, ethical investing is the practice of buying shares within companies that align with your moral compass. Both SRI and ESG investing have made great strides to put discussions about ethical investing on the table, but we don’t think they do enough. Here’s why. 

### More action is required

The act of choosing to invest in more ethically minded companies is commendable, but it won’t help us achieve the widespread, systemic change we need to see. For companies to sit up and take notice of the damage they’re doing to the world; they need to be put under pressure. And at Tulipshare, we believe the best way to do this is through [activist investing](https://tulipshare.com/blog/what-is-activist-investing-or-shareholder-activism). 


### Is activist investing the solution?

Activist investing goes one step further than SRI & ESG, as it seeks out campaigns and identifies opportunities to make irresponsible companies more responsible, as opposed to disengaging with these companies altogether. Activist investors leverage shareholder power to drive change within these companies, and we have already seen some extraordinarily impressive results thanks to this innovative method of investing. 

At a company level, [Elliott Management](https://www.investopedia.com/top-10-activist-investors-in-the-us-5083258) has targeted 64 companies since 2017, spearheaded by Paul Singer. The company has leveraged its shareholder power to influence policy at the top end of global companies, including AT&T, Hyundai, and Softbank. Among others, they’re proving that activist investing can truly change the way that many of the world’s biggest companies behave. 

These examples illustrate the fact that when pressured from within the company itself, the largest corporations in the world have no choice but to listen and do something about it. We’re very much on the cusp of a new wave of investing, and we truly believe that activist investing is the solution that we’ve needed. 

### Want to get involved in activist investing campaigns?

The world is full of moral people who want to live on a more equitable and environmentally friendly planet. One of the best ways to bring about the change that so many of us desire is to collectively campaign against the malpractice of the corporations that can often go unchecked or unpunished. 

The team at Tulipshare is convinced that activist investing is the vehicle through which we can start to see real, systemic change within these corporations. 

If you want to join us and take the first steps towards investing in a more sustainable future for us all, we’d love to welcome you. Be sure to check out [our current campaigns](https://tulipshare.com/campaigns), or feel free to get in touch to propose something new for us to pursue in the near future. 


Why SRI and ESG investing aren’t enough to create change

Check out our campaign for McDonalds packaging to be more sustainable

The stock market is an intricate global body that is made up of a broad range of financial exchanges. It’s incredibly complex and serves multiple core purposes, as we explore throughout this article. 

The stock market can seem complex, so we've explained the global stock market, its functions and the best ways to invest in it. Read online today. 

What is the stock market's role? | Tulipshare

## The stock market explained

The stock market encompasses a range of exchanges and specific venues that facilitate the buying, selling, and trading of shares in publicly held companies. 

Although it’s commonly referred to as the stock market - implying a single entity - it’s more appropriate to regard the global financial marketplace as one that is made up of multiple stock exchanges. In fact, there are more than [sixty stock exchanges](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_stock_exchanges) in the world, and there are sixteen in total that have a market capitalisation of more than $1 trillion each.

The [largest stock exchange in the world](https://www.statista.com/statistics/270126/largest-stock-exchange-operators-by-market-capitalization-of-listed-companies/) by market capitalisation is the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), followed by National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations (NASDAQ), both of which operate in the United States. The biggest exchange in Europe is Euronext, which has a market capitalisation of $7.38 trillion. 

Ultimately, the stock market enables buyers and sellers to transact and allows price discovery for shares in corporations. The trading of the stock market is broadly seen as a representation of the overall health of a particular economy. This is because its peaks and troughs tend to represent real-life events and occurrences that affect the global financial climate. 

## What does the stock market do? 

At its essence, the stock market allows buyers and sellers to negotiate prices and complete trades. When a company is listed on the stock exchange, the directors raise capital in order for the business to grow by selling shares. Investors then buy and sell these shares within the stock market, which tracks the instance of all transactions completed. 

The stock market also serves multiple crucial functions, as we explain below: 

**Enables dealings in securities** 

The stock market provides the platform that ensures all interested buyers can complete securities transactions. By utilising [automated trading systems](https://www.investopedia.com/articles/trading/11/automated-trading-systems.asp), the market ensures the best buyers and sellers are matched, given the quantity of any proposed trade. 

**Provides the opportunity for price data accuracy and real-time updates**

Fundamentally, the stock market allows anyone to discover the price and value of a publicly-traded company. It achieves this by assessing market supply and demand and alters the trading price to accommodate for any changes in value. 

**Improves transaction security** 

The stock market is regulated by independent financial authorities - such as the Securities and Exchange Commission in the US - which ensures the transactions completed on the stock market are secure and valid, protecting both the buyer and seller. 

**Supports various market participants** 

There are multiple actors within the stock market, including traders, investors, market makers, speculators, and hedgers. Each of these roles is facilitated by the existence of the stock market, and it is required to ensure that all participants are able to operate within it seamlessly.

## How do you invest in the stock market? 

There are multiple ways of investing in the stock market. Some people work with investment managers who they task with managing their investments. Others invest through pension funds, while some set up an online brokerage account and invest through registered broker-dealer platforms ([such as Tulipshare’s](https://www.tulipshare.com/)). 

One unique and inspired way of investing in the stock market, given the turbulent world in which we currently live, is to participate in an [activist investing campaign](https://www.tulipshare.com/). At Tulipshare, we provide a platform for individual investors to place their money in the stock market while supporting campaigns that are hoping to make a difference in the world. 

Our platform identifies opportunities for ethical change within companies publicly traded on the NYSE and NASDAQ, and we invite you to get involved. 

By leveraging shareholder power, we are prioritising social impact over social returns to ensure we can hold companies to account and put pressure on them to re-examine their policies. 

For more information about our current campaigns and to find out how you can invest in the stock market with TulipShare, be sure to check out how activist investing works.


What is the role of the stock market?

Check out some of our campaign for more sustainable packaging at McDonald's

In a world where we could all be doing more to negate the environmental and social impacts of big business, system-level investing is a way of doing just that.

System-level investing is about understanding the social and environmental implications of an investment, rather than just financial. Discover on Tulipshare.

What is system-level investing? | Tulipshare

## What exactly is system-level investing? 

System-level investing refers to the intentional consideration given by investors to the bigger picture. As opposed to mere financial gain, system-level investing is about understanding the context of an investment and the broader environmental, social, and financial implications such an investment might have. 

According to William Burckart, co-author of the book 21st Century Investing: Redirecting financial strategies to drive systems change, the concept is best described as [follows](https://www.forbes.com/sites/bobeccles/2021/04/28/21st-century-investors-manage-systemic-risks-through-system-level-investing/?sh=50ead96a1f18): "By calling this approach system-level investing, we want to be clear: a primary responsibility of 21st-century investors - whether individuals, families, or institutions - is to ensure that their investments intentionally support the health and resilience of crucial systems, reduce systemic risks, and promote opportunities for all."

System-level investors are concerned with actually doing something about the many issues facing the planet, and use their collective investment to bring about real-life, systemic change that can influence the future direction of some of the biggest issues of the age (think [climate change](https://tulipshare.com/blog/COP26-and-funding-climate-change), for instance). There are typically three core aspects (or systems) to system-level investing: 

**Environmental**

For investments to be profitable long into the future, the physical and natural environment of planet earth must remain intact. Human-induced climate change as a result of natural resource depletion and a lack of access to clean and fresh water sources are all jeopardising the future of our planet.

**Social**

If businesses are to thrive, they must have strong governance and civil structures in which to operate. Issues relating to income inequality, poverty, poor health, and inhumane working conditions all combine to pressurise societies and create unsuitable environments in which businesses have to operate. 

**Financial**

The complex global financial world is an intricate mosaic of laws, regulations, and institutions that combine to enable markets to function smoothly. For markets to operate and people to profit, these systems must be thriving and based upon stability, trust, and transparency. 

## How is this any different from ESG investing? 

It's become an [upward trend](https://www.reuters.com/markets/us/how-2021-became-year-esg-investing-2021-12-23/) for investors to consider a broad range of [ESG](https://www.tulipshare.com/blog/what-is-ESG-investing) - environmental, social, and governance - issues before deciding where to invest their money. 

System-level investing is certainly similar but focuses more on generating measurable influence on the broad environmental, societal, and financial systems within which investors operate. The overwhelming goal of system-level investing is to create a much more sustainable world, which will ultimately support an investor's long-term priorities. 

### Two Examples of system-level investing 

William Burckart has highlighted several examples of what he terms system-level investing in his book, including: 

**The Government Pension Investment Fund of Japan**

As a [pension fund worth more than $1.6 trillion](https://www.forbes.com/sites/bobeccles/2021/04/28/21st-century-investors-manage-systemic-risks-through-system-level-investing/?sh=50ead96a1f18), the Government Pension Investment Fund's (GPIF) fate is tied to the health of the Japanese economy, given its long-term focus. The fund promotes the steady and sustainable growth of the overall market, realising that its success is underpinned by the health of the economy. 

**The Church of England Pensions Board **

Similarly, the Church of England Pensions Board has [a fund worth more than £36.4 billion](https://www.forbes.com/sites/bobeccles/2021/04/28/21st-century-investors-manage-systemic-risks-through-system-level-investing/?sh=50ead96a1f18) and has developed a stewardship implementation framework that details the church's management of the funds and affects the wider societal impact that their investments have. 

## Want to be more mindful with your investments? 

One of the most effective ways you can contribute to systemic, positive change is [activist investing](https://tulipshare.com/blog/ESG-and-shareholder-activism). Activist investing is all about harnessing shareholder power within companies to make better choices, which will ultimately contribute to the health and wellbeing of our entire planet. 

If you want to contribute to a more sustainable future for everyone and want to drive forward real change in the world, find out more about how activist investing with [Tulipshare](https://www.tulipshare.com/) works and how you can get involved. 


What is system level investing?

While you're here, why not check out our new Google campaign

If being regulated by financial authorities was like being on the Great British Bake Off, then Julie helps Tulipshare get ‘star baker’ week after week.

MEET THE TEAM | Julie Sosson - Global Head of Compliance at Tulipshare

Meet the Team - Global Head of Compliance | Tulipshare

Julie is a senior compliance officer with over twelve years of experience across publicly - listed investment banking firms such as Société Générale, Fintech firms like Wise, and asset management firms such as AXA.

“I joined Tulipshare because I believe this is a revolutionary retail activist investment platform truly contributing to promoting ethical change within companies.”

**What was your biggest fear when you were five years old?** 

None I was a daredevil :-)

**If you were a wrestler what would be your entrance theme song?**

I ain’t no joke, Eric B. & Rakim

**If you had to eat one meal for the rest of your life what would it be?**

A typical Tel-Aviv breakfast.


Meet the team: global head of compliance

With Johnson & Johnson’s annual general meeting just around the corner, we wanted to talk a little more about talc.

With Johnson & Johnson’s annual general meeting just around the corner, we wanted to talk a little more about talc. Read more to see what Tulipshare is doing to stop sales of talc-based products. 

On the 28th of April, Johnson & Johnson shareholders will have the opportunity to vote on our [shareholder proposal ](https://tulipshare.com/blog/stop-the-global-sales-of-johnson-and-johnson-talc-baby-powder) about removing talc-based Baby Powder products from global shelves. We’re extremely proud of the work Tulipshare’s done so far to get this proposal as far as this, but we still have some more work to do!
 
In the lead-up to this vote, we thought we’d address a few myths around talc as a reminder of why we started this campaign, and why this vote is so important.
 
## MYTH 1: TALC IS SAFE
 
Johnson & Johnson [claim](https://www.factsabouttalc.com/#:~:text=Not%20only%20is%20our%20talc,cause%20ovarian%20cancer%20or%20mesothelioma.) to only use pure, pharmaceutical grade talc. They also,  “test every lot to ensure it.”
 
**The reality: TALC IS CHEAP**
 
Ken Starr, the man who represents several women with ovarian cancer who are suing Johnson & Johnson, wrote in a [statement](https://www.cnbc.com/2021/06/01/supreme-court-rejects-johnson-johnsons-appeal-of-2-billion-baby-powder-penalty.html):
 
“They could have protected customers by switching from talc to cornstarch, as their own scientists proposed as early as 1973. But talc was cheaper and petitioners were unwilling to sacrifice profits for a safer product.”
 
## MYTH 2: JOHNSON & JOHNSON TALC IS ALWAYS ASBESTOS-FREE
 
Johnson & Johnson make [claims](https://www.factsabouttalc.com/#:~:text=Not%20only%20is%20our%20talc,cause%20ovarian%20cancer%20or%20mesothelioma.) that their talc-based consumer products are “always asbestos free, as confirmed by regular testing since the 1970s.”
 
**The reality: Not all tests yield the same results**
 
However, different [asbestos tests](https://www.fda.gov/media/134005/download) can yield different results. The FDA [currently does not regulate](https://www.asbestos.com/news/2022/01/18/fda-testing-asbestos-talc/) which type of testing companies should run on their products, so it's difficult to know how conclusive JNJ's tests are. 
 
## MYTH 3: IF I STOP USING TALC NOW, I’LL BE FINE
 
It’s probably fine to use talc every once in a while, right?
 
**Reality: Symptoms from asbestos exposure can take years to show up**
 
Asbestos fibres can [remain in the body for about 20 years](https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/mesothelioma/) before symptoms might start to appear. They can even travel up the fallopian tubes and contribute to ovarian cancer. [A study found](https://gpm.amegroups.com/article/view/6033/html) that talc particles were present in 10/13 ovarian tumors tested.
 
## MYTH 4: I DON’T USE BABY POWDER, SO I’LL BE FINE
 
Think this issue doesn’t apply to you because you don’t use baby powder?
 
**Reality: talc can also be found in makeup, pharmaceutical pills, chewing gum, surgical gloves, condoms, among many others.**
 
Sometimes listed in ingredients as talc, talcum or talcum powder, cosmetic talc, or magnesium silicate, [talc is found in a wide-range of products](https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/mesothelioma/)…it’s even been found in crayons!
 
## THE BOTTOM LINE
 
A win for this shareholder proposal would act as a signal to big companies around the world that consumers deserve more transparency, especially where health is concerned. But most importantly it will prevent future cases of mesothelioma and ovarian cancer caused by using Johnson & Johnson’s talc-based products. It’s time to put the health of people over profits.


Talc: myth vs. reality

Constance Ricketts has the vital role of putting our activism into action.

MEET THE TEAM | Constance Ricketts - Head of Shareholder Activism at Tulipshare

Meet the Team - Head of Shareholder Activism | Tulipshare

Constance brings twelve years of legal experience to Tulipshare, with a background in litigation, administrative law, environmental law, and communications law. She facilitates the shareholder activism process and maintains investor relations communications with target companies.

"I joined Tulipshare because I believe in the firm’s mission to empower retail investors to invest their money in an effort to promote ethical change. Shareholder activism has a bright future ahead and I am happy to advocate for better corporate ESG policies as a member of the Tulipshare team. "

**What was your first music concert?**

"The first concert I attended was *NSYNC at age 9. I still remember the outfit I wore."

**If you had to eat one meal for the rest of your life what would it be?**

"Yakiniku at Rokkasen in Shinjuku, Tokyo – no question."

**If your pet could talk, what would be the first thing they’d say to you?**

"I would hope, 'I love you,' but most likely it would be: 'We need to discuss an increase in my daily treat allowance.' My dog seems like he would be a tough negotiator."



Meet the team: attorney & head of shareholder activism

Demand that Apple Adopt Fair and Accessible Right to Repair Policies

Fighting for the right to repair isn’t just about consumers or businesses – it’s also about cutting landfill from electronic waste by increasing the lifespan of devices. 

Fighting for the right to repair isn’t just about consumers or businesses – it’s also about cutting landfill from electronic waste by increasing the lifespan of devices. Read more about Tulipshare's review of their updated programs.

Did you know that on a global level, [increasing the lifespan of a smartphone by just 33%](https://therestartproject.org/the-global-footprint-of-mobiles/) could prevent the annual carbon emissions that equate to the annual emissions of the country of Ireland?

Although the right to repair movement is gaining steam, a lot more progress is needed. Here’s our review on Apple’s current Independent Repair and Self Service Repair programs. 

## Apple’s Current Independent Repair Program

Apple customers have to get products repaired by [approved technicians, or businesses under the Independent Repair program](https://www.macworld.co.uk/how-to/apple-products-repair-3802247/). As an Apple customer, [you have the choice](https://support.apple.com/en-gb/repair) to send off your device to an Apple repair center, an approved technician, or make a reservation at the Genius bar.

This policy can be tough for independent repair businesses too, as they need to go through an approval process before they’re allowed to work on Apple products. Apple has in the past [argued](https://www.theverge.com/2020/7/30/21348240/apple-right-to-repair-legislation-antitrust-investigation-policy) that introducing a right to repair policy using “non-genuine” parts would make their products less secure. This often forces independent repair businesses to pay a premium for “official” parts when there are often more affordable options on the market. 

If you break the rules, your warranty could be void. For some iPhones, using a non-Apple screen could [mean](https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT210321) you see an error message highlighting the non "genuine" replacement part. 

The [cost to repair Apple devices](https://www.apple.com/uk/recycling/nationalservices/) often encourages customers to buy new devices instead of repairing their current device. As discussed above, this has a considerable environmental impact. 

## Apple’s Current Self Service Repair Program

Apple customers “[who are comfortable with completing their own repairs](https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2021/11/apple-announces-self-service-repair/)” may place an order for Apple genuine parts and tools using the Apple Self Service Repair Online Store after they have reviewed Apple’s Repair Manual. Once a repair is completed, customers may then send back certain used parts to Apple for recycling [where incentives vary](https://www.apple.com/uk/recycling/nationalservices/). However, the Self Service Repair Program is highly restrictive considering it is only available for the recently released iPhone 12 ([released in 2020](https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2020/10/apple-announces-iphone-12-and-iphone-12-mini-a-new-era-for-iphone-with-5g/)), iPhone 13 ([released in 2021](https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2021/09/apple-introduces-iphone-13-and-iphone-13-mini/)), and Mac computers featuring M1 chips ([released in 2021](https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2021/10/introducing-m1-pro-and-m1-max-the-most-powerful-chips-apple-has-ever-built/)), and Apple notes that the program is “intended for individual technicians with the knowledge and experience to repair electronic devices,” which excludes the vast majority of customers. The Self Service Repair program is further restricted in that if you use third-party batteries or other parts then your warranty with Apple will be [voided](https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/apples-new-self-service-repair-program-what-it-means-for-you-and-your-apple-devices/). Our campaign seeks to provide Apple customers with the option of repairing Apple products themselves without voiding their warranties and encourage Apple to design and build products that are easier to fix in the first place.

([subtitle source](https://www.ifixit.com/Right-to-Repair/E-waste))




Tulipshare’s review of Apple’s current independent repair and self service repair programs 

Check out our campaign to stop the sales of talc-based Baby Powder

Did you know that shareholders have the right to vote on corporate actions, policies, board members, and other issues?

Tulipshare believes voting at company AGMs is an important part of being a shareholder. Read more about how to use your shareholder vote online.

### What is a voting right?

A voting right is the right of a shareholder of a corporation to vote on matters of corporate policy, including decisions on the makeup of the board of directors, say on pay, corporate bylaw changes, issuing new securities, initiating corporate actions like mergers or acquisitions, approving dividends, and making substantial changes in the corporation's operations. It is common for shareholders to voice their vote by proxy by mailing in their response or by relinquishing their vote to a third party proxy voter.

### How do shareholder voting rights compare to voting rights in democratic governments?

First and foremost, it’s important to keep in mind that not all shares have voting rights attached to them. When you’re selecting what platform you invest on you can usually find information on their voting rights through their website. 

Unlike the single vote right that individuals commonly possess in democratic governments, the number of votes a shareholder has corresponds to the number of shares they own. Thus, somebody owning more than 50% of a company's shares can affect a majority of the vote and is said to have a controlling interest in the firm.

In the US, provisions in a private corporation's charter and its bylaws govern shareholders’ rights, including the right to vote on corporate matters. Along with state corporation laws, these provisions may limit the voting rights of shareholders. When a company goes public, shareholder rights are determined by the corporation, but must follow rules and guidelines established by the Securities and Exchange Commission as well as any rules set out by the exchange(s) that list the shares of the company.

### What are shareholders able to vote on? 

Shareholders have the right to vote on corporate actions, policies, board members, and other issues, often at the company's annual shareholder meetings.

Because a corporation’s officers and board of directors (BOD) manage its daily operations, shareholders have no right to vote on basic day-to-day operational or management issues. However, shareholders may vote on major corporate issues, such as changes to the charter or to vote in or out members of the board of directors. Although common shareholders typically have one vote per share, owners of preferred shares often do not have any voting rights at all.

### What are the eligibility requirements to vote? 

Typically, only a shareholder of record is eligible for voting at a shareholder meeting. Corporate records will name all owners of outstanding shares along with a record date preceding the meeting. Shareholders not listed in the record on the record date may not vote.

### If I own fractional shares, will I be able to vote on Tulipshare? 

Yes. DriveWealth, the carrying broker for brokerage services provided by Tulipshare, uses Say Communications, LLC (“Say Communications'') to facilitate the extension of voting rights to Fractional Shares. When you vote your interest in a Fractional Share, Say Communications will add the fractional position voted by you to the aggregate vote total for all shares of such security reported by Say Communications on behalf of DriveWealth to the applicable vote tabulator (“Tabulator”) for the meeting or shareholder event. 

### If I own fractional shares on other platforms, will I be able to vote? 

It depends on the brokerage firm's fractional share investing program. Also, each company has its own voting requirements. You most likely don't get a vote with a fractional share; and you can't aggregate (pool) shares to have a vote. We suggest reaching out to the brokerage platform that you use to learn more about their policies and procedures. 






Everything you need to know about voting as a shareholder

A retail investor is someone who invests money in the stock market as a non-professional.

As the stock market becomes increasingly easy to access, numbers of retail investors have also increased. Find out the effects of this on Tulipshare.

In recent years, retail investors have increased in number and had more of an impact on the global stock market, which is great news for activist investors, as we explore below.

## What is a retail investor?

Anyone who buys stocks, shares, or bonds is considered a retail investor, providing they don’t do it for a living. In most instances, retail investors utilise various brokerage apps to conduct their transactions or invest money in stocks via their pensions.

[Research](https://www.reuters.com/article/us-retail-trading-numbers-idUSKBN29Y2PW) suggests that there are more than 100 million retail investors worldwide, using platforms including Fidelity, Vanguard, Schwab and Robinhood to make their investments. [Tulipshare](https://www.tulipshare.com/) is also a retail investment platform. 

2020 was a huge year for retail investors, as individuals made up approximately [19.5%](https://www.investopedia.com/2020-was-a-big-year-for-individual-investors-5094063) of the entire U.S. equity trading volume. In the U.K., [13.5%](https://freetrade.io/retail-investors) of shares are owned by individuals. One of the primary reasons why retail investing has become so popular today is the greater accessibility to the market, as apps and various technologies have made it easier than ever for ordinary people to invest their money.

## What does retail investing look like in the U.K.?

Approximately [one in three Brits](https://www.finder.com/uk/investment-statistics) currently own shares. Interestingly, there was a sharp rise in share ownership in the period between 2018 and 2020, as more people became aware of the user-friendly nature of the latest technologies that facilitate retail investing. 

People in the U.K. are motivated to invest in stocks and shares as a direct result of the poor interest rates given by banks, as well as the opportunity to earn dividend income. Around [27%](https://www.finder.com/uk/investment-statistics) of Brits who invest in the stock market have been motivated to do so because they want to invest in ethical companies. 

Thanks to the prevalence of various platforms - like [Tulipshare](https://www.tulipshare.com/) - it’s never been easier for retail investors to invest their money in alignment with their values, as we explain below. 

## Retail & activist investing - a wonderful opportunity to make a difference 

At Tulipshare, we provide a platform for retail investors to become [activist investors](https://www.tulipshare.com/blog/what-is-activist-investing-or-shareholder-activism). Activist investing is the practice of leveraging shareholder influence to change the way companies do business. In Tulipshare’s case, we are concerned with driving ethical and sustainable change within companies.

So far, our campaigns include pushing [JP Morgan](https://www.tulipshare.com/stocks/JPM) to restrict their investments in fossil fuels, as well as better working conditions for [Amazon](https://www.tulipshare.com/stocks/AMZN) employees. We’re seeing retail investors buy shares and support campaigns like these which seek to bring about positive change in the world - something we can all buy into.

As more retail investors are likely to enter the market - [two-thirds of Brits](https://www.finder.com/uk/investment-statistics) have said they are likely to invest in shares in the near future - activist investing has the best possible chance of making a significant positive difference in the world. 

It’s no secret that the world’s largest corporations aren’t doing enough to tackle the issues of our age, which is why we invite you to join us in putting pressure on them to do the right thing. Visit [Tulipshare](https://www.tulipshare.com/how-it-works) today to find out more about how activist investing works, and check-in with our current campaigns to see how you can make a difference.


What is a retail investor? 

Forcing the world’s largest corporations to change their ways isn’t easy. The way multiple companies treat their staff can be derisible at best, and inhumane at worst. But what can be done about it? 

Here are five ways that we think labour rights can be influenced at some of the biggest companies on the planet.

**#1: Activist investing**

At Tulipshare, we believe the best way to achieve change within the world’s most influential international corporations is to drive change from within. [Activist investing](https://tulipshare.com/blog/what-is-activist-investing-or-shareholder-activism) allows us to leverage the power of shareholders to bring about changes we want to see in workplace practices. 

Our [Amazon campaign](https://tulipshare.com/stocks/AMZN), for example, is fighting for an independent audit of the working conditions faced by warehouse employees. By investing your money through Tulipshare you can help our campaigns and efforts to seek better rights for the people mistreated by corporations. By working together we believe we’re much more likely to see the changes that we so desire. 

It’s all too easy for the likes of Amazon, Coca-Cola, and Apple to ignore protests from the outside. But when shareholders put pressure on them from within, they have no choice but to listen to us. While we think activist investing is one of the best ways to bring about an improvement in labour rights, the following four actions could also contribute to the cause. 

**#2: Stronger unions**

In the United States, where most of the world’s biggest corporations have an active workforce, strengthening unions can help employees bargain for better rights. Unions support individuals to come together to enact change and are a way of giving the voiceless a say in the way they are treated. If mistreated labour force within the world’s biggest corporations felt supported, then they’d be much more likely to take action to improve their situation. 

**#3: Public campaigns**

Public campaigns are designed to make corporations sit up and take notice of what they’re being told from the outside. Public campaigns are a big part of the [International Labour Organization’s](https://www.ilo.org/ipec/Campaignandadvocacy/lang--en/index.htm) strategy, with various projects throughout the year dedicated to bringing about changes in certain labour markets. However, they can often fall short of making meaningful change, especially when companies make promises to appease a campaign objective when they don’t actually intend to deliver on the promises. In an environmental context this is often referred to as greenwashing.

**#4: Additional protection for workers in non-traditional work arrangements**

So many workers employed in factories at Amazon and other corporations are involved in [non-traditional work arrangements](https://www.ncci.com/SecureDocuments/QEB/II_Insights_QEB_2019_Q2_Drilling_Down.html). While such arrangements vary, they typically: 

- Have volatile and unpredictable work schedules  
- Are excluded from overtime and paid leave
- Can’t access employee benefits including health insurance (in the US) 
- Don’t receive pension payments 

While some people - such as freelancers in the gig economy - choose to operate in non-traditional work arrangements, factory workers often don’t have a choice. They are the easiest labour market to exploit. 

Policymakers need to do more to prevent the exploitation of corporation workers in non-traditional work arrangements. While the UK has made improvements in supporting [Zero-Hour Workers](https://www.gov.uk/contract-types-and-employer-responsibilities/zero-hour-contracts), a lot more is needed to be done on a global scale to help those most at risk of exploitation in the workplace. 

**#5: Support for whistleblowers**

When people come forward to report violations of labour laws, their position with their current employers often becomes untenable. This is particularly the case with low-income workers. In most states in America, for instance, there is no such thing as [anti-retaliation protection](https://www.americanprogress.org/article/11-things-state-local-governments-can-build-worker-power/) for low-income workers who speak out against their employers. If people are to have the confidence to speak out against malpractice, then it’s incumbent on governments to protect them and their livelihoods.

**Ready to bring about change?** 

Tulipshare is a platform designed to make your voice heard. Our targeted campaigns have been designed to bring about real change in the world. If we’re successful, then we can expect to see significant changes in the practices of many of the world’s biggest corporations. 

Spend some time looking through our campaigns today, or get in touch if you have any questions about our approach to activist investing.

Five ways labour rights could be improved at the biggest international corporations 

When it comes to saying the right things, corporations seem to be on track as far as climate change pledges are concerned. 

The likes of BlackRock, Netflix, and Costco have all made [encouraging announcements](https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/22/business/energy-environment/corporations-climate-change.html) about altering their practice to serve the planet better, but have failed to make any tangible strides towards more climate-friendly company policies. In fact, [a recent study](https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/business/most-major-companies-failing-climate-targets-study/articleshow/82193058.cms) found that fewer than one in four of the world’s largest companies are on course to achieve basic climate change targets. 

But given the alarming need for large corporations to take more responsibility to fight climate change, why are they simply not doing enough? 

## There is no requirement for companies to disclose key climate information. 

The practices of many of the world’s largest polluting industries - oil & gas, tech, & textiles, for instance - are well known. Yet currently there’s no global requirement for the companies within these sectors to disclose key climate information that refers to the impact their businesses are having on the environment, though countries like [the UK are taking steps to change this](https://www.icas.com/landing/sustainability/non-financial-reporting/climate-change-reporting-to-be-mandatory-for-largest-uk-entities). These steps will mean that, from April 2022, entities in scope will be required to disclose reports on their climate-related risks and opportunities. Even so, there is such inconsistency in terms of corporate pledges that makes it seemingly impossible to benchmark one company against the next. 

Oil companies including Shell, BP, Total, and Equinor have all [unrealistically pledged](https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/jul/26/climate-crisis-green-light) to reach “net zero” by 2050, alongside stopping short of committing to halting fossil fuel exploration. While this might sound like progress to those on the outside, it pales into insignificance when compared to what Danish oil firm Orsted has already achieved. In 2017, [they sold their oil and gas business](https://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/rsted-sells-lng-unit-says-its-natural-gas-business-is-going-nowhere) and went on to install more than one-quarter of the world’s offshore wind capacity - real climate action.

Ultimately, developing a framework around corporate climate pledges is a vital next step, but it’s not going to be easy to achieve. 

## Long-term goals have usurped short-term goals. 

Something that corporations have fallen into the habit of doing is pledging ambitious long-term goals to help save the planet. Whether it’s [GM’s announcement to be carbon neutral by 2040](https://media.gm.com/media/us/en/gm/home.detail.html/content/Pages/news/us/en/2021/jan/0128-carbon.html), or [Google’s promise](https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-54141899) to be powered exclusively by renewable energy by 2030, there is very little immediacy when it comes to articulating the steps that these corporations will take to achieve their targets. 

When you think about it, it’s much easier for a board of directors to commit to a pledge that is decades away from coming to fruition. There’s no immediate requirement for them to change their modus operandi, and they can very much continue with ‘business as usual’ unless the right level of pressure is put on their unsustainable business practices.  In fact, [recent research](https://www.ft.com/content/ae78c05a-0481-4774-8f9b-d3f02e4f2c6f) has shown that the ESG sector is filled with greenwashing.

Unless corporations shift their targets to the medium and short-term, it’s unclear whether they’re actually doing anything about their current climate indiscretions or whether it’s just a case of saying the right things to appease their clients and partners. 

## How can we make corporations do more to fight climate change? 

A revolutionary way of forcing corporations to adopt more climate-friendly policies and to change their polluting behaviour is through activist investing. At [Tulipshare](https://tulipshare.com/), we harness the collective power of individual investors and work to leverage shareholder rights. As a result, we can advocate on your behalf to bring about real change in some of the world’s largest corporations. 

We believe that activist investing is one of the most effective ways of bringing about positive change in some of the world’s biggest polluting companies, [evidenced](https://corpgov.law.harvard.edu/2020/08/01/2020-activist-investor-report/) by many high-profile campaigns launched in recent years. 

Ultimately, if we’re going to save our planet, we need to put pressure on corporations to change their actions. After all, there’s no planet B. 


Why are corporations not doing enough to fight climate change? 

Activist investing is a form of investing that is beginning to gain significant traction.

People are waking up to the realisation that we can all do more to improve the world around us. But how can we harness activist investing to change the world for the better? 

## What is activist investing?

Activist investing is the practice of buying a large amount of a company's stock with the goal of gaining influence and pressuring the leadership team. It’s a form of direct action and is a tried and trusted way for investors to make real change even in the world’s largest corporations. Tulipshare is approaching activist investing a little differently, with targeted campaigns and collectivising like-minded activist investors. Some of Tulipshare’s activist investing campaigns have targeted the practice of [Apple](https://tulipshare.com/campaigns/AAPL), [Amazon](https://tulipshare.com/campaigns/AMZN), [Coca-Cola](https://tulipshare.com/campaigns/KO), and [JPMorgan Chase](https://tulipshare.com/campaigns/JPM). We lobby for positive change within companies using this unique strategy. 

## How can activist investing change the world for the better? 

Fundamentally, activist investors are able to drive change from within a company, as they take up positions as concerned shareholders (as opposed to concerned citizens on the outside looking in). By leveraging shareholder rights, they can make a board of directors sit up and take notice. But what are activist investors motivated to achieve?

## More focus on ESG investing

[ESG investing](https://tulipshare.com/blog/what-is-ESG-investing) has [integrated](https://corpgov.law.harvard.edu/2021/05/29/shareholder-activism-and-esg-what-comes-next-and-how-to-prepare/) into shareholder activism in that activist investors are increasingly motivated to transform environmental, social, and governance practices within the firms they invest in. We have seen numerous examples of this in recent times. For instance, activist investor [Engine No.1 spent $12.5 million to win three board seats](https://www.reuters.com/business/little-engine-no-1-beat-exxon-with-just-125-mln-sources-2021-06-29/) at ExxonMobil in 2021 - one of the most groundbreaking acts of activist investing we’ve seen. 

The main reason that Engine No.1 took action was a direct result of the company’s inattentive response to climate concerns. The team at Engine No.1 are seeking to put pressure on ExxonMobil to initiate a clean energy strategy, something that is of paramount importance if we’re to achieve our collective climate change targets, as [outlined at COP26](https://ukcop26.org/) last year.

By utilising their positions as shareholders, activist investors can have the opportunity to drive environmental and social change within the biggest - and most irresponsible - companies on the planet. We feel that if activist investing were to become more widespread, we could potentially see a huge swing in favour of more sustainable practices at companies with a poor environmental track record. 

Activist investing with [Tulipshare](https://www.tulipshare.com/) provides retail investors with the perfect opportunity to work together to bring about collective change. We have designed our campaigns so that everyone can get involved, no matter how big or small the contribution is.

## Hold management to account and influence policy 

Once an activist investor has a stake in the company that they wish to transform, they typically set about their work for a finite period until their task is complete. In almost all instances, activist investors want to hold the board of directors to account and influence company policy in some way. 

Investors can achieve their aims through launching media campaigns, participating in proxy votes, and using litigation to drive change at the company from the inside. Huge companies are often more than happy to ignore outside noise from demonstrators, but they can’t ignore their shareholders so easily. Because of the transformative nature of activist investing, socially conscious investors have the opportunity to change the world for the better by putting pressure on various companies, particularly in relation to their environmental and social policies.

## Ready to get involved in activist investing? 

If you’re keen to make a positive change in the world, then activist investing is an excellent way to go about it. All you have to do is to [sign up for an account with Tulipshare](https://tulipshare.com/signup) and browse through our current campaigns. 

Equally, if you’re passionate about a particular campaign that we’re not currently involved in, feel free to send it our way, and we will be more than happy to look into it. 

How can activist investing change the world?

You might have seen some press around the fact that we’ve successfully filed a shareholder resolution with Johnson & Johnson. 

Tulipshare's resolution calls for the [end of global sales of the company’s talc-based Baby Powder](https://tulipshare.com/campaigns/JNJ). 

Despite multiple attempts to exclude our proposal from the company’s proxy statement, including multiple letters to the SEC, the SEC rejected their request to exclude it on the basis that “the proposal does not deal with Johnson & Johnson’s litigation strategy or the conduct of the litigation to which Johnson & Johnson is a party”. 

## Why we’re asking shareholders to vote to ban sales of talc

In 2020 Johnson & Johnson’s talc-based Baby Powder was shown to contain [traces of asbestos](https://www.fda.gov/cosmetics/cosmetics-recalls-alerts/fda-advises-consumers-stop-using-certain-cosmetic-products) - a carcinogen known to cause cancer with no safe exposure level. In response to the contamination findings, the company recalled the product and discontinued the sale of its talc-based powder in North America citing [‘a lack of demand’ and a ‘constant barrage of litigation advertising’](https://www.jnj.com/our-company/johnson-johnson-consumer-health-announces-discontinuation-of-talc-based-johnsons-baby-powder-in-u-s-and-canada). Despite this, Johnson & Johnson continues to sell its talc-based products globally, including in the [UK](https://www.bbc.com/news/business-52732755). Since June 2021, Johnson & Johnson has had to pay [$2.1 billion in damage](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-06-01/j-j-must-pay-2-1-billion-talc-award-as-top-court-rejects-appeal) after the US supreme court refused to hear the company’s objection to a 2018 verdict that their talc-based baby powder caused ovarian cancer in more than 20 women.

In February 2022, a US judge ruled that Johnson & Johnson could proceed with a [controversial bankruptcy strategy](https://www.ft.com/content/4bff8f60-8fdd-4e52-aaaf-5ada92d4311d) known as the “[Texas two-step](https://www.npr.org/2022/01/07/1071181199/johnson-johnson-tests-a-legal-maneuver-known-as-the-texas-two-step)” to help it manage 38,000 legal claims against it. This involves moving the claims to its subsidiary, LTL Management LCC which will affect future injured parties who might try to bring a claim against Johnson & Johnson. 

## What next?

If you’ve owned Johnson & Johnson stock through Tulipshare for the required amount of time, you should receive an email soon with instructions on how to vote at the annual shareholders meeting. We’ll also send an update with details about when this meeting will take place and what else will be discussed and voted on.

We hope our proposal will send a message to companies worldwide that retail investors are willing to unite their shareholder rights and ensure accountability on social issues and we’re calling for more investors to join in the campaign to strengthen our position on this key vote at the company’s AGM. 


Tulipshare's proposal seeking to discontinue global sales of Johnson & Johnson’s talc-based Baby Powder will be on the ballot at Johnson & Johnson’s upcoming AGM

You might have seen by now that Tulipshare submitted a shareholder proposal to Amazon this year. Here’s why Amazon is trying to exclude it, and why we remain hopeful that it will be on this year’s shareholder ballot.

Fight for workers rights at Amazon with Tulipshare

## What is it about?

We are fighting to end the unsafe working conditions and unfair treatment that Amazon warehouse employees have been subjected to through a workers’ rights targeted shareholder proposal. The [proposal](https://tulipshare.com/campaigns/AMZN) requests Amazon commission an independent audit of the working conditions and treatment that Amazon warehouse workers face. 

While Amazon strives to be the “Earth’s Best Employer” and “[Earth’s Safest Place to Work](https://www.aboutamazon.com/about-us)”, a recent [report](https://thesoc.org/amazon-primed-for-pain/) indicated that Amazon warehouse employees suffer serious injuries at a rate which is 80% higher than those who work at non-Amazon warehouses. 

## Why are Amazon trying to exclude it?

In response, [Amazon has written](https://www.sec.gov/divisions/corpfin/cf-noaction/14a-8/2022/dadashidominiamazon012422-14a8-incoming.pdf) to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)  requesting that the workers’ rights proposal be excluded from the company’s 2022 proxy statement. Amazon claims that workplace safety concerns and workers’ rights relate to the company’s “ordinary business operations”, and should therefore be excluded from the shareholder vote at the upcoming AGM. 

## Why our proposal could still go through

However, Tulipshare hopes to leverage recent changes to the [SEC’s new guidance](https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.sec.gov/corpfin/staff-legal-bulletin-14l-shareholder-proposals__;!!GFN0sa3rsbfR8OLyAw!K2yvCc6VHi_JkeRyjm0QI7XuP65tUp3lB4RCD6ydFund-b-yhg6sKGq1wy8wQcmf-m8jM3Y$), which came into force on 3 November 2021, to engage with the company. These new rule interpretations state that shareholder proposals raising significant social policy issues may no longer be excluded under the “ordinary business exception”. They will argue that the unsafe working conditions faced by Amazon’s warehouse workers qualifies as a significant social policy that transcends the ordinary business of the company. 

If the shareholders are successful, **it would be the first time a proposal submitted on behalf of retail investors would make it onto the proxy ballot at Amazon’s AGM**. This would be a major win for retail investors who want to have a greater say on how companies operate by using activist investment platforms. Tulipshare is the lead sponsor to submit a [proposal](https://tulipshare.com/stocks/AMZN) on workers rights at Amazon, after Domini Investments submitted an almost identical proposal to ours. 


UK retail investors fight to have workers’ rights proposal included at Amazon AGM

Investing can be a powerful way to encourage and create radical change in multinational corporations - if done in the right way. 

We leverage shareholder legal rights to petition for positive change from within corporations. Discover Tulipshare's brand activism online today.

Tulipshare’s focus is on leveraging shareholder rights and unifying investor power to create a more ethical and sustainable world for everybody by investing in and engaging with the companies behind our campaigns. 

Interested in investing for a positive future? Here are a few things you should do before taking that first step.

### Develop a plan that you’re comfortable with

Investing starts with you and when you invest your capital is at risk. Tulipshare’s team is made up of engineers, lawyers, marketers and sustainability researchers who are passionate about shareholder activism, but cannot provide you with financial advice. Before you begin investing, we suggest you take a deep look into your financial situation to ensure that you’re comfortable with taking that first step and that you have the financial capacity to potentially lose the money that you have invested. 

What we like about Tulipshare is that they do not have a minimum investment threshold.  You can join their platform by investing as little as £1 in their campaigns as Tulipshare leverages the collective voice of their users to campaign for change. However, everybody’s financial situation is undoubtedly different. Don’t feel disappointed if you can’t start your journey as an activist investor just yet. 

### Consider campaigns that you care about

When investing for a positive future, taking the time to think about your values is super helpful. We suggest writing down some of the areas you care about most, whether that be the environment, labour rights or improved sustainability. Whatever it is you feel passionate about, activist investing could be a useful place to start changing the world for the better. 

Perhaps you’re interested in [improving labour rights in Amazon warehouses](https://tulipshare.com/campaigns/AMZN), or [stopping JPMorgan’s investment in fossil fuels](https://tulipshare.com/campaigns/JPM). Tulipshare has launched campaigns pushing this narrative and has a range of other campaigns covering a wide variety of issues. They’ll even take campaign suggestions from their users, which can be done via [their website](https://bit.ly/3r0BaUq).

### Do your homework

Taking an activist approach to investing could help change the financial world for the better. If you’re investing in traditional platforms without an activist stance, be sure to take a moment to understand [how to exercise your shareholder rights](https://tulipshare.com/blog/how-to-exercise-your-shareholder-rights). Individually investing in companies that have a poor track record when it comes to labour rights or climate change could deter efforts to drive meaningful change unless you are prepared to use your shareholder rights to engage with the companies you invest in.  

### Stay engaged 
Real positive change doesn’t stop after you have chosen to invest your money into a chosen cause. Tulipshare’s platform makes it easy to stay in the loop with campaign updates so that you remain informed and they’re super supportive in helping you exercise your shareholder rights.

Activist investing is unique in that it can bring about much-needed change by engaging with the companies you’re invested in. Rather than making your money just work for you, you could make your money work for everyone - a more conscious way of investing. The good news is you don’t have to be rich to have an impact. Through Tulipshare, all it takes is a lot of people with just a little bit of money.

Take a look through the [Tulipshare site](https://tulipshare.com/) to learn more about activist investing and create an account today!




How to start investing for a positive future

By unifying your investments, we can leverage your investor rights to push for real, authentic change. But what causes and corporations can you invest in on Tulipshare this winter? 

We invest in Amazon shares to advocate for workers' rights and invest in Apple stock to petition for reduced electronic waste. Learn more on Tulipshare.

To give you an overview of our current campaigns this season, here’s a brief summary of some of the causes we’re fighting for on your behalf:

[**Apple**](https://tulipshare.com/stocks/AAPL)

It’s no secret to anybody that fixing Apple products can be a pain. Up until recently, only [approved technicians](https://www.vice.com/en/article/evjx9j/apple-will-finally-sell-iphone-parts-to-repair-shops-but-not-to-you) were able to work on Apple products, using parts approved by the corporation. Not only is this detrimental to customers’ wallets, but this practice is also having a big impact on the environment. In fact, each year the world throws away [53 million tonnes](https://repair.eu/) of electronic waste, accelerating the harm we’re already doing to the planet.

It doesn’t have to be that way though - our Apple campaign initially sought to use shareholder leverage to force Apple to bring in a dedicated Right to Repair policy. Apple has since alerted us around their Self Service Repair for customers using their products. While we’re pleased at this development, [we have identified gaps](https://tulipshare.com/blog/apple-self-service-program-still-misses-the-mark) in the new program and will continue to stay in communications with Apple’s investor relations team until a resolution has been achieved. 

[**Amazon**](https://tulipshare.com/stocks/AMZN)

Based on [various reports](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2020/feb/05/amazon-workers-protest-unsafe-grueling-conditions-warehouse) surrounding Amazon working conditions, being an employee at the corporation isn’t easy. We believe everybody has a right to a dignified and safe working environment, which is the main reason we brought forward our campaign at Amazon. Using shareholder leverage, we are seeking to recommend that Amazon conduct a regular independent audit of warehouse workers working conditions. This will hopefully force them to address the problems faced by their employees on a daily basis.

[**JPMorgan**](https://tulipshare.com/stocks/JPM)

As one of the biggest banks in the world, you’ve probably heard about JPMorgan before. What you may not know is that JPMorgan [heavily invests in ](https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidrvetter/2020/03/18/jpmorgan-chase-tops-dirty-list-of-35-fossil-fuel-funding-banks/?sh=2f4898565dfe)climate-destructive industries and, since the Paris Agreement in 2016, has invested [$316.735 billion](https://reclaimfinance.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/BOCC__2021_vF.pdf) in fossil fuels. While the international bank has committed to providing money into [the climate finance fund](https://am.jpmorgan.com/gb/en/asset-management/institutional/investment-strategies/sustainable-investing/capabilities/climate-change-solutions-fund/), we don’t think that cuts it. Our campaign is looking to strengthen JPMorgan’s commitment to ending all investments in fossil fuels, therefore helping to reduce emissions around the world considerably. With [thousands of people](https://tulipshare.com/stocks/JPM) interested in our campaign, the journey on the road to big change is only just getting started.

[**Johnson & Johnson**](https://tulipshare.com/stocks/JNJ)

Johnson & Johnson’s talc-based Baby Powder (talcum powder) was shown to contain traces of asbestos - a carcinogen known to cause cancer with no safe exposure level. What’s worse is that Johnson & Johnson reportedly [knew about the asbestos contamination](https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/johnsonandjohnson-cancer/), yet continued to [heavily market the product to minority, overweight women](https://www.reuters.com/article/us-johnson-johnson-marketing-specialrepo/special-report-as-baby-powder-concerns-mounted-jj-focused-marketing-on-minority-overweight-women-idUSKCN1RL1JZ).

Soon after Johnson & Johnson’s talc-based powder was discovered to be [contaminated with asbestos](https://www.fda.gov/cosmetics/cosmetics-recalls-alerts/fda-advises-consumers-stop-using-certain-cosmetic-products), the company recalled the product and discontinued the sale of its talc-based powder in North America citing[ ‘a lack of demand’ and a ‘constant barrage of litigation advertising’](https://www.jnj.com/our-company/johnson-johnson-consumer-health-announces-discontinuation-of-talc-based-johnsons-baby-powder-in-u-s-and-canada) in 2020. However, the company continues to sell its talc-based products globally, including in the UK.

If you’re interested in holding these corporations accountable and engaging in corporate responsibility, Tulipshare is the platform for you. Read more about the nitty-gritty of our campaigns here. In fact, if you have a suggestion about a cause you’re passionate about, don’t hesitate to leave your suggestion or our [campaign box](https://tulipshare.com/).






Spring 2022: What can you invest in through Tulipshare?

Despite high-profile diversity marketing, Salesforce has consistently failed to improve its U.S. workforce diversity numbers.

Salesforce has consistently failed to improve its employee diversity numbers.

Salesforce has consistently failed to improve its employee diversity numbers

Salesforce has [faced harsh criticism](https://searchhrsoftware.techtarget.com/news/252496276/Salesforces-remote-work-hiring-strategy-raises-questions) regarding its claim of improving diversity and inclusion through its 2021 remote hiring strategy.

- In December 2020, Bhaskar Chakravorti, dean of global business at The Fletcher School at Tufts University, [wrote in a Harvard Business Review essay](https://hbr.org/2020/12/to-increase-diversity-u-s-tech-companies-need-to-follow-the-talent) that a “roadblock on the path to closing the diversity gap is the extreme geographic concentration of tech companies, which limits the industry’s ability to connect with, recruit, and retain talent from a widely dispersed pool.”    

- In February 2021, Salesforce announced that it would allow its employees to choose between a [“flex” schedule](https://www.techtarget.com/searchhrsoftware/feature/Four-secrets-of-a-successful-flexible-work-arrangement-policy), consisting of a mixture of working part-time in the office and part-time from home, or to work remotely full-time. Salesforce touted its new “work-from-anywhere model” as a means of[ improving its diversity and inclusion hiring](https://www.techtarget.com/searchhrsoftware/feature/Four-secrets-of-a-successful-flexible-work-arrangement-policy).  However, despite Salesforce’s claim that giving employees a choice of where to work will enable the company to “break out of the Silicon Valley hiring bubble,” about “80% of workers want to maintain a connection to the office” and most of its employees work a flex schedule opposed to working fully remote). This means that employees working flex schedules, which is the majority, must live near a Salesforce office. Salesforce’s Worldwide Corporate Headquarters, for instance, is located in San Francisco, one of the most expensive cities in the U.S. with a cost of living 80% higher than the national average ([source](https://www.techtarget.com/searchhrsoftware/news/252496276/Salesforces-remote-work-hiring-strategy-raises-questions)).

- Donald Tomaskovic-Devey, a sociology professor and the head of the Center for Employment Equity at the University of Massachusetts Amherst (the “Center”), determined that “if most employees are in flex jobs, that may imply local recruiting” and “[w]here a firm recruits matters in terms of diversity,” according to the [Center’s data](https://searchhrsoftware.techtarget.com/news/252496276/Salesforces-remote-work-hiring-strategy-raises-questions). In fact, the [Center found](https://searchhrsoftware.techtarget.com/news/252496276/Salesforces-remote-work-hiring-strategy-raises-questions) that the average number of Black employees at Silicon Valley firms was a shockingly low 4.4%. Salesforce’s diversity numbers are even more bleak than those of Silicon Valley.  TechTarget broke down Salesforce’s diversity data into percentages, [finding](https://searchhrsoftware.techtarget.com/news/252496276/Salesforces-remote-work-hiring-strategy-raises-questions) that the company’s U.S. workforce is approximately 64% men and 36% women, and its employees’ race and ethnic distribution is 60% white, 26% Asian and Indian, 4.5% Hispanic, 3.4% Black, 2.8% multiracial, and 2.7% undisclosed.  These numbers are marginally improved compared to 2020, but nowhere near Salesforce’s [claim](https://searchhrsoftware.techtarget.com/news/252496276/Salesforces-remote-work-hiring-strategy-raises-questions) that 50% of its workforce will be made up of underrepresented groups by 2023. 

A closer look at Salesforce’s diversity and inclusion data provides a clear view of the disproportionate hiring practices at play within the company, and how lumping separate unique minority groups into larger intersectional designations does little to actually improve the diversity numbers.  According to Salesforce’s Equal Employment Opportunity Report certified on August 26, 2021 which is currently posted on its official website, the current U.S. diversity numbers within the company [are as follows](https://www.salesforce.com/content/dam/web/en_us/www/documents/reports/sfdc-certified-eeo-1-2021-report.pdf): 

- Male – Hispanic (953); White (12,729); Black (685); Native Hawaiian (52); Asian (5,520); American Indian/Alaskan (42); 2 or more races (519)
- Total male employees: 20,500
- Female – Hispanic (595); White (7,104) Black (453); Native Hawaiian (40); Asian (2,921); American Indian/Alaskan (20); 2 or more races (399)
- Total female employees: 11,532

- Tomaskovic-Devey [went on to say](https://searchhrsoftware.techtarget.com/news/252496276/Salesforces-remote-work-hiring-strategy-raises-questions) that though Salesforce claims it will consider remote work hiring in other locations, it should also implement outreach “that makes clear they are looking for increased diversity in hiring, in order to get the applications.” To this point, Katherine Giscombe, an organizational psychologist and equity and inclusion expert, [asserted that](https://searchhrsoftware.techtarget.com/news/252496276/Salesforces-remote-work-hiring-strategy-raises-questions) Black employees “have much less inherited wealth than whites,” and “[h]aving to live in an expensive area could be prohibitively expensive for many people of color.”

- Another reason why experts are skeptical of Salesforce’s remote work hiring strategy is the way in which it affects women.  For instance, Roberta Guise, founder and president of FemResources Inc., a San Francisco-based nonprofit that works to establish gender equality in the tech industry, [asserts that](https://searchhrsoftware.techtarget.com/news/252496276/Salesforces-remote-work-hiring-strategy-raises-questions) women who seek out remote work may face “old biases” from hiring managers, specifically “notions that women won’t be able to balance work and children,” and that when a woman’s parental or single parent status is known, “she’s less likely to be hired.” Chakravorti stresses that Salesforce must explain “how their new talent recruiting strategies are being organized to realize [its diversity goals].”  However, when asked, [Salesforce refused to share ](https://searchhrsoftware.techtarget.com/news/252496276/Salesforces-remote-work-hiring-strategy-raises-questions)additional details regarding its recruitment strategy.

Despite high-profile diversity marketing, Salesforce has consistently failed to improve its employee diversity numbers: 

- Though Tony Prophet was hired in 2016 as Salesforce’s first ever Chief Equality Officer and the company began releasing quarterly equality reports, the number of Black employees in Salesforce’s U.S. workforce [only grew to 3.5% ](https://www.businessinsider.com/salesforce-push-to-improve-equality-yielded-slow-results-tony-prophet-2020-11)compared to 2% in 2015.  This abysmal rate of improvement [is mirrored](https://www.businessinsider.com/salesforce-push-to-improve-equality-yielded-slow-results-tony-prophet-2020-11) by its Hispanic representation which inched up from 4% in 2015 to 4.5% in 2020.

- Salesforce’s diversity numbers remain nowhere near its purported goal that 50% of its workforce will consist of underrepresented groups by 2023.   Currently, the company’s diversity breakdown is: 64% men and 36% women with a race and ethnic distribution of 60% white, 26% Asian and Indian, 4.5% Hispanic, 3.4% Black, 2.8% multiracial, and 2.7% undisclosed. Salesforce must explain “how their new talent recruiting strategies are being organized to realize [its diversity goals].”  However, when asked, Salesforce [refused to share ](https://www.techtarget.com/searchhrsoftware/news/252496276/Salesforces-remote-work-hiring-strategy-raises-questions)additional details regarding its recruitment strategy. 



Diversity and inclusion criticism at Salesforce

Buying shares doesn’t just have to be about making money. Your investments can impact the environment and society.

Our shareholder activism is focused on advocating for change from within corporations. Find out how our users make a difference on Tulipshare. 

We think shareholder activism is an incredibly exciting way to drive change within corporations and maximize that impact, but what exactly is shareholder activism, how does it work and what are the best ways to get involved?

### What is shareholder activism?

Shareholder activism is when individuals take an active approach to investing. It typically requires an individual to buy a significant number of shares in a company or corporation with the aim of using their shareholder rights to create long-lasting change. Often seen as an activity reserved for the few at the top who are concerned more with profit than by ethical change, shareholder activism and activist investing can also be an expensive and time-consuming venture. 

However, it doesn’t have to be - shareholder activism can be a tool used by the retail or individual investor, especially when using platforms like Tulipshare’s. Our investment platform aims to enable groups of like-minded investors (or current shareholders) to come together and influence corporations, whether that be by proposing environmental or social changes.

### How does shareholder activism work?

Shareholder activism works by leveraging an individual or group’s shareholder stakes to apply pressure on corporations to enforce change. Ultimately, corporations are obligated to listen to shareholders, so it’s in their best interest to respond and engage. What makes Tulipshare’s approach unique is that it takes a campaign-first approach to investing - meaning the only stocks users can buy are where we’ve identified opportunities to apply better ESG practices at that company. Through shareholder activism, [Tulipshare](https://tulipshare.com/) leverages the shareholder rights of our investors to lobby for change from within these companies. These campaigns outline our intentions to engage with the company so that investors know that by investing with Tulipshare they’re taking an active approach to investing. Additionally, we encourage our users to exercise their shareholder rights across their investments outside of Tulipshare. We’ve created our blog with the intentions of educating investors globally around shareholder activism. 

### What are the best ways to get involved with shareholder activism?

Shareholder activism can be expensive and difficult to do on your own. But we believe, by coming together, it can be done more easily as we’re able to “scream louder collectively” and pool our resources.

As an activist platform that identifies opportunities for significant ethical change in corporations that are publicly listed on the [NYSE](https://www.nyse.com/index) and [NASDAQ](https://www.nasdaq.com/), Tulipshare could be the perfect choice for you. We’re all about working collectively to change the world, and we won’t settle for any less. All of our campaigns are rooted in a desire for authentic, long-lasting impact.

Fortunately, setting up a profile and getting started on Tulipshare is easy, providing you with the perfect entry point for your journey of becoming an active investor. Simply set up an account, complete the registration process, fund your wallet and start investing behind our various campaigns. 

### What are some prime examples of shareholder activism?

Having just launched our platform in July, Tulipshare has multiple campaigns live , which have the potential to support more ethical and sustainable practices at companies. [Our Apple campaign ](https://tulipshare.com/stocks/AAPL)is the perfect example, which focuses on Apple’s contribution to [growing amounts of electronic waste](https://time.com/5594380/world-electronic-waste-problem/). After setting up our campaign, Tulipshare has now acquired enough shares to submit a proposal at Apple’s AGM next year and are actively engaging with Apple’s IR team to try to come to a resolution. We are also planning to rapidly expand our campaigns, giving our investors all the more opportunity to engage on things that matter most to you.

Tulipshare makes it easier for individual investors to rally behind campaigns and fight to influence the way public companies are run. Interested in getting involved? Take a look through our campaigns here and read more about [how the Tulipshare process works](https://tulipshare.com/how-it-works). 



How does shareholder activism work?

Traditionally, activist investing has been seen as an activity that favours profit at the expense of everything else. 

Activist investing allows us to advocate for social and environmental change from within companies. Discover shareholder activism trends on Tulipshare.

However, [Tulipshare](https://tulipshare.com/blog/Tulipshare-activism-investing) prioritises impact over returns when engaging with the companies behind our campaigns - following the belief that there will be no returns without positive impact.  But what exactly is activist investing and how can it be used to make an ethical and large-scale difference to society and the world at large?

### How activist investing works

Activist investing is when a group or an individual buys enough shares in a company to pressure the company’s leadership or try to influence how that company is run. This investment strategy can have huge impacts on corporations and can either be used to drive profits or push for wider corporate change.

### So… is activist investing good or bad?

That depends totally on how you go about things. As mentioned above, activist investing isn’t always used for ethical reasons. For instance, some activist investors - like the American billionaire [Dan Loeb](https://www.forbes.com/profile/daniel-loeb/?sh=1e6058a97c2d) - are known for using activist investing to force change that benefits their financial profile. They do this by buying a big amount of shares in a company and, due to his shareholder leverage, force through changes that benefit him. 

Understandably, this can be viewed negatively, with the concern being that an individual shareholder holds too much power. However, activist investing doesn’t have to be that way, which is where [Tulipshare](https://tulipshare.com/about-us) comes in.

### How does Tulipshare differ?

Tulipshare takes [an entirely different stance](https://tulipshare.com/how-it-works) on activist investing. As opposed to the profiteering approach taken by rich individuals, our efforts are focused on collective and ethical change in multi-national corporations. In addition, Tulipshare prioritizes the voices of the retail investor, a group of investors that they believe have been silenced to date.  We open up campaigns on our platform at publicly-held companies and engage with these companies as an investor, whilst also allowing individuals to invest behind our campaigns, bringing a stronger force to push the changes we advocate for. What’s more, we encourage our users to exercise their individual shareholder rights by showing up to shareholder meetings and using their votes wherever possible.

As a Tulipshare user, you’re also able to suggest campaigns. We want to see better shareholder democracy and for the power to be put back in the hands of the people.

### How do I get started?

If you want to get involved with any Tulipshare campaigns, the process isn’t complicated. Simply set up your own account and complete your registration. When on your personal Tulipshare dashboard, you can have a look through their current campaigns and make your own decisions about what cause is most suitable for you. After investing, you’ll be kept updated on the progress of these campaigns after each milestone has been reached, either through email or your own dashboard.

If you have any of your own suggestions for new campaigns Tulipshare would love to hear from you - simply send them a comment in the area on our[ homepage](https://tulipshare.com/). Interested in starting your journey as an activist investor? Get in touch with us today to learn more - we’re happy to chat!

How activist investing could be used to make a difference

Corporate social responsibility is one of those business terms that often gets muddled up in various definitions.

Our mission is to hold corporations accountable for their impacts, both socially and environmentally. Learn more about our CSR strategy online now.

That’s because there are plenty of ways to go about corporate social responsibility, which can all have a positive impact on both society and the planet. But what exactly is corporate social responsibility and how do we keep corporations committed to it?

### What is corporate social responsibility?

Corporate social responsibility (“CSR”) is a business concept that aims to improve society at large. The ultimate goal of corporate social responsibility is to incorporate the economic process with social justice and environmental preservation. For example, thanks to a corporate social responsibility strategy, a company can help make its economic progress beneficial to numerous parties, including suppliers, employees, shareholders, and customers, while minimising any ecological impact on the planet.

### What is an example of corporate social responsibility?

Reducing carbon emissions, actively engaging in charity work and improving labour policies are all prime examples of corporate social responsibility goals. For instance, Netflix provides their employees with [52 weeks of paid parental leave](https://www.vox.com/2018/1/31/16944976/new-parents-tech-companies-google-hp-facebook-twitter-netflix) to both birth and non-birth parents, including adopted children. This can even be taken at any stage of the child’s life and is 36 weeks more than the median number of weeks for other big tech companies. On top of this, Netflix and other companies generally show support for social causes, such as Black Lives Matter, which also would come under CSR.

### What is the purpose of corporate social responsibility?

The purpose of corporate social responsibility is to help create a world that’s better for everybody, not just pocket stuffing elites. A successful CSR strategy ensures that local communities, customers, employees, shareholders, and suppliers all benefit, as well as create a more sustainable world. In fact, CSR has also been shown to fuel innovation in the corporate sector, helping to push important developments for the benefit of all. 

### Holding corporations accountable

So - how do we hold huge corporations accountable for their corporate social responsibility? While CSR can benefit the planet and society, some companies have resorted to crafting CSR goals in order to ‘greenwash’ and mask the company’s bad practices. Holding these companies to account is therefore essential. At Tulipshare, our goal is to leverage shareholder power to bring about real, lasting change inside corporations. So - how do you get involved? 

Let’s take JPMorgan Chase as an example. The international bank has [committed to a dedicated CSR programme](https://www.jpmorganchase.com/impact) to help improve sustainability amongst other things. Despite this, [Reclaim Finance discovered ](https://reclaimfinance.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/BOCC__2021_vF.pdf)that JPMorgan Chase is the world’s largest financier of fossil fuels, investing $316.735 billion between the years 2016-2020. While the bank has [recently pledged $2.5 trillion](https://www.cnbc.com/2021/04/15/jpmorgan-pledges-2point5-trillion-over-10-years-toward-climate-change.html) over the next 10 years in climate finance, we believe that JPMorgan Chase’s targets are misleading, given its continued large-scale investments in fossil fuels. 

Furthermore, [the global bank was recently found](https://www.banktrack.org/article/wetsuweten_chiefs_demand_investors_and_financiers_of_coastal_gaslink_to_divest_from_this_and_all_future_pipeline_projects) to have [funded TC Energy’s Coastal GasLink](https://thetyee.ca/News/2021/08/17/Coastal-GasLink-Spills-Contaminants-Wetsuweten-Territory/), a fracked-gas pipeline; related contaminants ended up leaking in Wet'suwet'en Territory, British Columbia, within 300 meters of a stream carrying at-risk fish species.

Big banks and corporations don’t have to listen to everyone, but they do have to listen to their shareholders. [Our newest campaign](https://tulipshare.com/stocks/JPM) presses JPMorgan Chase to stop its investments in fossil fuels and more strongly adhere to its CSR commitments to promote a sustainable, environmentally healthy earth. When shareholders act collectively, they can potentially bring about big change. 

The importance of corporate social responsibility is clear: it can not only increase economic progress but can also benefit people and the planet. Activist investing is a great way to help push corporations into a greener, more ethical business structure and hold them responsible for their promised targets. Sign up today and join a campaign you’re passionate about at Tulipshare.

Corporate social responsibility is one of those business terms that often gets muddled up in various definitions. That’s because there are plenty of ways to go about corporate social responsibility, which can all have a positive impact on both society and the planet. But what exactly is corporate social responsibility and how do we keep corporations committed to it?

What is corporate social responsibility?

The 1950s and 60s brought us a lot of amazing things: television, Elvis, a moon landing, The Beatles. It also brought a lot of plastic.

Here are five things you should know about plastic, and some things you can do to help sort through the mess.

And at first it seemed like another one of those amazing things: great for convenience, food hygiene, and great for production costs. Plus, it could be recycled! It quickly became something most people couldn’t imagine living without.

Well, spoiler alert, plastic has gone bad. We’ve all seen the pictures of the landfills bursting at the seams with plastic or the [sea turtle getting a plastic straw removed from its nose](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJmi_gwziy4). We’ve watched loveable comedians stage [funny stunts](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pLyqPc3NGg) to highlight some mischievous recycling rules. And we’ve all had to listen to that guy at a party telling us that recycling doesn’t work or that “[it all just ends up in China](https://www.forbes.com/sites/kenrapoza/2021/01/10/china-quits-recycling-us-trash-as-sustainable-start-up-makes-strides/?sh=26f378d5a567).”

But here are five things you should know about plastic, and some things you can do to help sort through the mess.

### 1. More than 99% of plastic is produced from fossil fuels

We love to conveniently forget that plastic production is inextricably tied to one of the [top producers of greenhouse gases](https://350.org/science/?gclid=CjwKCAiAvriMBhAuEiwA8Cs5lcGAZ70J814mfpa1JA8z2d6ACkydQmp9RlJCkxCFj3qVEKf-P-mhSBoC59QQAvD_BwE): fossil fuels. In fact, [Big Oil companies are starting to rely](https://www.vox.com/energy-and-environment/21419505/oil-gas-price-plastics-peak-climate-change) on plastics to recover some growth, with [ExxonMobil](https://www.sei.org/featured/20-companies-responsible-for-most-single-use-plastic-waste/) already topping the list when it comes to producing global plastic waste. 

And fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies are on hand to drive that demand. You’ll know some of them more colloquially as Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Proctor & Gamble, Nestlé, and Unilever - and their ‘throwaway culture’ has been made possible by the single-use plastic packaging that we’ve grown so accustomed to. So perhaps it comes as no surprise that, when it comes to plastic pollution, these FMCG companies are [missing the mark](https://www.plasticpollutioncoalition.org/blog/2021/6/22/report-consumer-goods-companies-are-missing-the-mark-with-false-solutions-to-the-plastic-pollution-crisis). 

It’s true, FMCG companies are making some efforts to change, but their main strategy is to deflect all blame by promoting recycling, despite knowing full well that it isn’t the angelic solution we want it to be. They’ve even gone as far as lobbying against single-use plastic restrictions, according to some [reports](https://talking-trash.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/TalkingTrash_FullVersion.pdf).

*([headline source](https://www.ciel.org/issue/fossil-fuels-plastic/#:~:text=Over%2099%25%20of%20plastic%20is,in%20the%20US%20and%20beyond ))*

### 2. Plastic is not just dumped in our oceans - it goes into our atmosphere too

[A Greenpeace report](https://prod.greenpeaceusa.info/usa/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/1001_GP_Unpacked_Report_ENG_FINAL.pdf) identified that 1 ton of plastic produces 5 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent ("CO2e"). In an age [where it’s crucial to get down to net-zero emissions](https://unfccc.int/process-and-meetings/the-paris-agreement/the-paris-agreement), this is bad news. Plastic emits greenhouse gases at every stage of production - and that includes during [the recycling process too](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19748943/). Even plastic that sits in landfills doing nothing at all [continues to emit methane gases](https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/double-trouble-plastics-found-emit-potent-greenhouse-gases). It’s estimated that by 2050 emissions from plastics could equate to [13% of Earth’s entire remaining carbon budget](https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Plastic-and-Climate-FINAL-2019.pdf).

Data from the recent COP26 summit in Glasgow showed that [emissions from plastics](https://www.reuters.com/business/cop/plastics-outpace-coals-greenhouse-gas-emissions-by-2030-report-2021-10-21/) were due to outpace emissions from coal by 2030. It also addressed concerns that petrochemical facilities tend to be housed in low-income areas, wreaking havoc on air quality and [causing notable rises in cancer](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2019/may/06/cancertown-louisana-reserve-special-report) - another issue altogether!

### 3. Only 9% of plastic ever produced since 1950 has been recycled

Recycling is what makes a lot of us feel better about using plastics, and it’s no wonder we think this way - FMCG companies have been using recycling as a ‘[smokescreen](https://resource-recycling.com/plastics/2021/09/15/greenpeace-recycling-used-as-plastic-industry-smokescreen/)’ for promoting plastics for a long time. 

One National Public Radio (NPR) [report](https://www.npr.org/2020/09/11/897692090/how-big-oil-misled-the-public-into-believing-plastic-would-be-recycled) quoted Larry Thomas, the former president of the [Society of the Plastics Industry Association](https://www.plasticsindustry.org/about-us), saying, “if the public thinks that recycling is working, then they are not going to be as concerned about the environment.”

Recent [Greenpeace USA ](https://prod.greenpeaceusa.info/usa/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/1001_GP_Unpacked_Report_ENG_FINAL.pdf)research also claimed that the plastic packaging used by the US’s food and beverage industry had “so little chance” of being recycled that it could put companies at risk of “legal challenge for deceptive marketing.”

This is down to a lot of reasons, but mainly the fact that[ it doesn’t make enough financial sense](https://www.cnbc.com/2021/05/22/is-recycling-a-waste-heres-the-answer-from-a-plastics-expert.html) for plastics to be recycled. In fact, under the current system, it makes more financial sense to continue to expand the use of virgin plastics. This brings us to our next point...

*([headline source]( https://www.no-burn.org/wp-content/uploads/Recycling-is-Not-Enough-online-version.pdf ))*

### 4. Plastic production is expanding

FMCG companies, who have done a great job at getting us to not feel bad about plastics (they’re recyclable!), are driving demand for more virgin plastic production. This is even despite the current concerns for overcrowding in landfills, oceans, and CO2 emissions. And Big Oil companies are [all too happy](https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/30/climate/oil-kenya-africa-plastics-trade.html) to meet this demand, hoping to use it as a way to boost their profits in the face of all the other crude oil uncertainties. If we changed nothing at all about the plastic industry as it currently operates, it is estimated that plastic pollution [could double](https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/10/1103692) by 2035 and triple by 2050. 

### 5. Companies are failing to reach their single use targets

In addition to expanding the production of plastics, FMCG companies are [failing to reach their single-use targets](https://www.greenbiz.com/article/consumer-goods-giants-failing-plastic-goals-according-ellen-macarthur-foundation), and they aren’t being very transparent about their reporting either. 

[Coca-Cola](https://tulipshare.com/stocks/KO), for instance, has promised to use 50% recycled material in its packaging by 2030. But it made this promise in 2015, the same year it failed to meet its target of using 25% recycled packaging material by 2015. 

As You Sow released a [report](https://www.asyousow.org/press-releases/2020/6/16/companies-fail-to-address-plastic-pollution-crisis-report-finds-no-corporate-leaders-many-laggards) grading the biggest consumer-facing companies and found that the highest grade achieved by any company was a ‘B minus’ by Unilever. The report was graded on six ‘pillars’: packaging design, reusable packaging, recycled content, data disclosure, voluntary support for improving recycling systems, and mandated financial responsibility to improve those systems. Fifteen companies received the lowest grade of ‘F’ - ultimately demonstrating that despite being quick to make promises these big corporations are being far too slow in actually reducing their plastics.

### Here’s what needs to be done

[Greenpeace has outlined](https://prod.greenpeaceusa.info/usa/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/1001_GP_Unpacked_Report_ENG_FINAL.pdf) several achievable goals for companies and consumers alike:

For companies, this includes:

- Setting targets of at least 25% reusable packaging by 2025 and 50% by 2030.
- Phasing out all single-use plastic, not just “virgin” or “new” plastic.
- Collaborating with packaging manufacturers and retailers to standardize reusable packaging.
- Making sure to publicly share sustainable packaging solutions rather than use them to gain a competitive edge.
- Reporting data annually to the public about your company’s packaging. This data should be independently verified and comprehensive, making sure to include knock-on effects on the climate.

For consumers, the list includes:

- Advocating for an ambitious [Global Plastics Treaty](https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/global-treaty-to-regulate-plastic-pollution-gains-momentum).
- Supporting (and demanding) ambitious regional and national legislation to promote the slow circular economy and extended producer responsibility, ban single-use plastic and fast-track reuse and packaging-free systems. 
- Avoiding companies or organizations that lobby against action to eliminate single-use plastic.
- Putting pressure on governments to support these efforts wherever possible.

There’s a big job ahead making it more important than ever to stay educated and vigilant on the topic of plastic pollution and use [our collective power](http://tulipshare.com) to keep the pressure on corporations. 






Plastic pollution: 5 things you need to know and what you can do about it

We all know how important voting is to democracy. There is no shortage of campaigns urging people to get out and vote before their next political election. But when it comes to shareholder democracy? You might as well hear crickets. 

That’s probably because it doesn’t occur to many retail investors that they could have a say in how businesses are run, and traditionally big businesses haven’t really been quick to promote that fact. They’re busy enough having to answer to the bigger institutional investors, [who placed the majority of the votes](https://www.broadridge.com/_assets/pdf/broadridge-proxypulse-2020-review.pdf) for the 2020 proxy season. 

But retail investors are a key part of shareholder democracy, as they are still part owners of the company no matter how small their stock. Still, there’s a lot of work to be done to make the shareholder voting process more accessible and therefore effective.

Here are a few ways to get started exercising your shareholder rights.

### Understand the company rules

Find out whether or not you hold shares with voting rights attached to them. Some shares that you can buy may not have voting rights, so it’s important to find out if you hold voting or non-voting shares of corporate stock.

Take a look at the record dates for companies you hold shares with and make note of when you’re allowed to vote. A company’s ‘record date’ is typically included in a company’s publicly released annual meeting notice and serves as a cutoff date for shareholders who can participate in the company’s upcoming proxy voting process. This is important because people are always buying and trading stock, so companies need a way to establish a cutoff date for participating in their proxy vote.

Shareholders who want to submit proposals must own a certain amount of shares for a certain period of time before they can be eligible to submit their proposal. The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Rule 14a-8(b) requires shareholders seeking to submit proposals to have continuously held at least $2,000, $15,000, or $25,000 in market value of the company’s securities entitled to vote on the proposal for at least three years, two years, or one year, respectively.

Once you’ve made note of relevant record dates, you can start circling some new dates in your calendar such as deadlines to submit shareholder proposals.

### Find out when a company’s AGM is being held

Most publicly-held companies will hold what are known as annual general meetings (or AGM’s), also referred to as annual shareholder meetings. This is when companies share updates with shareholders on profits, changes to board of directors, and other relevant company updates. It’s also when companies offer shareholders a chance to vote on proposals, information about which is typically distributed ahead of time. 

Each company has a different date for their AGM, but it tends to occur during what’s known as ‘[proxy season](https://tulipshare.com/blog/five-things-for-the-2022-proxy-season)’ - sometime between mid-April and mid-June each year (though not always).

It can be difficult to keep track of all the different dates, and voter ballots can be confusing and convoluted. Tulipshare aims to keep our users updated on key dates relevant to our campaigns.

### Get out there and vote!

As with political democracy, shareholder democracy requires votes. We’re in the midst of a [retail investor boom](https://www.cnbc.com/2021/04/08/a-large-chunk-of-the-retail-investing-crowd-got-their-start-during-the-pandemic-schwab-survey-shows.html), particularly among the younger crowd. One survey found that [almost half of investors aged 25-40](https://www.irmagazine.com/shareholder-targeting-id/retail-investors-millennials-most-likely-vote-their-proxy-finds-new-survey) said they planned to vote at their next shareholder meeting. Yet, in the 2020 proxy season only 28% of retail investors actually voted during AGMs. We at Tulipshare encourage shareholders to be active participants in the companies in which they hold stock. We also facilitate shareholder activism by crafting campaigns and submitting shareholder proposals. Like-minded investors can then join our campaigns by buying stock and exercise their shareholder rights when it comes time to vote.

We have a lot of work to do to strengthen shareholder democracy, but if we truly want the people to have the power then it all has to start with you - the retail investor. 

If you’re curious about being more active as a shareholder, be sure to keep an eye on our campaigns and subscribe to any relevant mailing lists. We plan to keep our platform users up to date with upcoming AGM news and voting opportunities relating to our campaigns, as well as communications between ourselves and relevant Investor Relations teams.



How to exercise your shareholder rights

For many people, buying shares is not often associated with progressive change. However, here at Tulipshare, we like to do investing a little differently. 

From advocating for the rights of Amazon workers to improving the Apple repair service, our activist investing makes a difference. Explore on Tulipshare.

**Our activist investing ethos helps those committed to progressive change to invest in company stocks and leverage shareholder rights to make their voices heard. But how exactly do you buy shares and use them for change?**

### What is activist investing?

First things first, let’s go a little deeper into what activist investing is. Activist investing is the act of investing money into publicly traded companies and using your shares to influence how the companies are run. At [Tulipshare](https://tulipshare.com/), we’re bringing activist investing to retail investors, allowing you and other like-minded investors to buy shares in the companies targeted in our ESG-focused campaigns. By doing this, we can unify individual voices into a collective movement around a common goal, giving us a seat at the table to advocate for meaningful changes to company policy. We engage in direct dialogue with companies and submit and/or support related shareholder proposals which are then voted on at annual shareholder meetings. You can also read a little bit more in-depth about activist investing [here](https://tulipshare.com/blog/what-is-activist-investing-or-shareholder-activism). 

### How do I buy shares?

At Tulipshare, we strive to make buying shares super easy, in order to help as many investors jump on board with our campaigns as possible.

Investing on the Tulipshare platform starts by [signing up](https://tulipshare.com/signup) with a secure email and password while agreeing to our terms and conditions. In the next few steps, you’ll be asked to provide some personal information to allow us to conduct our onboarding and due diligence checks, as required by regulators.  After providing, you’ll be shown the [Tulipshare dashboard.](https://tulipshare.com/dashboard) This will be your hub for all things activist investing, presenting you with our latest campaigns and any extra help you might need. Once you’ve completed your registration, you can start uploading funds, converting them to USD, and start investing your money into our live campaigns.  You can also keep track of campaign updates by subscribing to our email newsletter, following one of our [social media accounts](https://twitter.com/tulipshare), or checking our [website](https://tulipshare.com/blog) for news. It really is as simple as that.

### What impact can I have?

When buying shares individually, your impact as an activist is limited, but when buying them with other like-minded investors, we can amplify your voice. Here are just a few examples of the campaigns we’ve been running so far:

#### [Apple](https://tulipshare.com/stocks/AAPL)

Every year the world throws away around [53 million tonnes of electronic waste](https://repair.eu/). One of our longest-running campaigns is to push Apple to adopt a fair and accessible Right to Repair policy that allows for and encourages customers to keep their devices and repair them.  

With nearly $40,000 invested behind our Apple campaign, Tulipshare now has enough shares to submit a shareholder proposal. Meanwhile, Apple have recently released their first ever Self Service Repair Program, but [we have identified gaps](https://tulipshare.com/blog/apple-self-service-program-still-misses-the-mark) within the new program that still need to be addressed. We are currently in conversations with Apple’s IR team and plan to continue to engage and press for further improvements to its repair service. 

#### [Amazon](https://tulipshare.com/stocks/AMZN)

There have been continuing reports of Amazon warehouse workers being subjugated to [unsafe working conditions](https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/amazon-worker-deaths-tornados-raise-questions-tornado-training-cellpho-rcna8570). 

Our activist investment campaign is attempting to ensure safe and fair working conditions for Amazon warehouse workers. With over $10,000 invested and 2,442 people interested, we’re well on the way to advocating for Amazon warehouse workers on your behalf.

Remember - if you have a new campaign idea for a cause you’re particularly passionate about, don’t hesitate to shoot a suggestion our way. Whether it’s improving the state of our oceans or improving the treatment of employees in certain corporations, we would love to hear about any new ideas you have in mind.

Ultimately, redefining how people invest their money is what Tulipshare is all about. If you’re looking to make a meaningful impact on the world and push towards progressive change, sign up with Tulipshare today. Complete your registration and you can even get a free £10 to invest in a campaign of your choice!



How to buy shares in a company and use them for change

Ethical and activist investing have emerged as two methods of moral investing. But what are ethical and activist investing and how do they differ?

Ethical investing is the future of activism, allowing shareholders to advocate for change within corporations. Discover moral investing on Tulipshare.

### What is ethical investing?

Otherwise known as socially responsible investing, ethical investing is generally defined as buying shares in corporations or companies that align with your own moral beliefs. For instance, those committed to ethical investing would likely avoid investing in tobacco companies or corporations that have connections to the industry. 

Furthermore, if you think that guns are a danger to society, you probably wouldn’t invest your money in gun manufacturers.  Amazon is another example of a company that some investors have moral qualms about, for a myriad of reasons.

### Why is ethical investing not enough to drive change?

While ethical investing can make a positive impact, we believe it doesn’t do enough to truly drive the kind of vital change that’s needed. While it’s great to support more climate-conscious and ethical companies, what about reforming the companies that foreseeably aren’t going anywhere and have a large impact on our society and planet?

At Tulipshare, we believe the key to meaningful change lies in shareholder activism. That’s where activist investing comes in. 

### How does activist investing differ?

As opposed to the passive act of refusing to buy shares in specific companies, activist investing looks to leverage shareholder power to drive change. Activist investing is all about direct action, in contrast to the passive nature of ethical investing. Activist investing has the potential to effect real change, even within the largest corporations. [Tulipshare](https://tulipshare.com/) is a platform that helps those looking to bring about change to get investing. As a relatively new platform, we’ve spearheaded our efforts into four initial campaigns targeting Apple, Amazon, Coca-Cola and JPMorgan Chase. Tulipshare aims to work from within by leveraging our community’s collective shares and lobbying for change. 

For example, Tulipshare started [a campaign](https://tulipshare.com/stocks/AAPL) to push Apple to adopt a fair Right to Repair policy.   With $44,947 invested in shares by Tulipshare and our community , we are currently talking to Apple’s IR team about our concerns and to put this on the corporation’s roadmap. It doesn’t end there though - the more investors we have, the more leverage we have to engage directly with Apple. 

### Want to get involved? Here’s how!

If one of our campaigns interests you, simply create an account and you’ll get access to the [Tulipshare dashboard](https://tulipshare.com/login?returnUrl=%2Fdashboard). This is where you’ll see all of your investments (once made) and the progress of our campaigns. However, before you start investing, it’s time to complete your registration. This process allows us to verify your identity and meet our regulatory requirements for onboarding. 

Ultimately, if you want to drive change in corporate structure, activist investing can be an impactful method. Remember - if you have a campaign idea, don’t hesitate to send it our way! We’re always open to hearing about the causes Tulipshare investors are most passionate about.


What is ethical investing?

With melting ice sheets, warming oceans and a drastic rise in the global temperature, the climate change clock is undoubtedly ticking. 

The promises on climate change COP26 made need to be priority actions in the face of global warming. Find out how activist investing could help.

**With [melting ice sheets](https://www.worldwildlife.org/pages/six-ways-loss-of-arctic-ice-impacts-everyone), [warming oceans](https://www.epa.gov/climate-indicators/oceans#:~:text=Why%20does%20it%20matter%3F,climate%20patterns%20around%20the%20world) and a drastic rise in the global temperature, the [climate change clock](https://www.inenco.com/insight/blog/climate-clock-is-ticking-as-political-delays-continue/) is undoubtedly ticking. With every minute that passes, the chances of turning things around diminish and with it, the darker the future becomes. [COP26](https://ukcop26.org/) offered a ray of hope in an otherwise gloomy forecast, but how do we turn those promises into real, actionable change? To get things started, let’s begin with some of the basics about the COP26 conference in Glasgow a few months ago.**

### What was COP26?

The 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (otherwise known as COP26) was a global United Nations summit held in Glasgow this year. COP26 offered world leaders the chance to gather and update their agreements from 2015 in fighting climate change. Over two weeks, speeches and deep negotiations occurred, leading to a last-minute deal agreed upon by an array of nations across the planet. Whether the agreements were enough to tackle the momentous task of tackling a warming planet is up for debate. 

### What were the promises made at COP26?

World leaders went into COP26 with [four goals](https://ukcop26.org/cop26-goals/):

- Secure global net-zero by 2050 and keep 1.5 degrees within grasp

- Adapt to shield vulnerable communities and ecosystems

- Mobilise developed countries and financial institutions into providing at least $100bn in climate finance per year

- Improve and solidify collective, united and consistent action for the future

At the end of the conference, various agreements were put into place that aligned with these four goals. One of which was the [submitted climate plans](https://www.climatewatchdata.org/2020-ndc-tracker) from 151 countries to slash emissions by 2030 and keep 1.5 degrees within realistic reach. Also, while the [previous climate finance goal](https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/cop26-delivering-on-100-billion-climate-finance/#:~:text=It's%20generally%20agreed%20that%20an,nations%20have%20in%20developed%20countries.) of $100 billion was not reached in 2020, [developed countries agreed](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-cop26-presidency-publishes-climate-finance-delivery-plan-led-by-german-state-secretary-flasbarth-and-canadas-minister-wilkinson-ahead-of-cop26) to a robust process to develop new climate targets past 2025. On top of these promises, [40 countries have committed](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-59159018#:~:text=More%20than%2040%20countries%20have,at%20the%20COP26%20climate%20summit.&text=Such%20projects%20burn%20fossil%20fuels,biggest%20contributor%20to%20climate%20change.) to phasing out coal, more than [40 world leaders agreed](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-59138622) to advance clean technology around the world by 2030 and [100 countries have committed](https://news.sky.com/story/cop26-more-than-100-countries-commit-to-ending-and-reversing-deforestation-by-2030-12457327) to stopping deforestation by 2030.

### How can we turn those promises into success?

Talking is easy, but the real, direct change we desperately need isn’t. COP26 was unquestionably a start, but holding those accountable for staying on target is a crucial part of turning those promises into successes. Activism, individual responsibility and voting in the right way all play a part in holding those in power to account, but another essential element of making COP26 a success is corporate responsibility.

[Studies have shown](https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2017/jul/10/100-fossil-fuel-companies-investors-responsible-71-global-emissions-cdp-study-climate-change) that just 100 companies are responsible for 71% of global emissions - a remarkable number and one that shouldn’t be forgotten as corporations continue to greenwash. In our eyes, those numbers don’t change just through individual action, but collective action. That’s why we think activist investing is one of the ways forward.

### Why activist investing matters

Recycling our waste and doing our best to reduce our carbon footprint clearly has a positive impact, but that doesn’t mean we can afford to stop acting collectively. Pooling together and making our voices heard is vital if the promises at COP26 are to be a success. On top of holding politicians to account with consistent activism and thoughtful voting, activist investing is another way to force crucial change in various corporations and businesses.

Take our [Coca-Cola campaign](https://tulipshare.com/stocks/KO), for example. Coca-Cola - one of the world’s [leading contributors](https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/dec/07/coca-cola-pepsi-and-nestle-named-top-plastic-polluters-for-third-year-in-a-row) to plastic waste and litter. Coca-Cola’s current target is to use at least 50% recycled material in its packaging by 2030, but we don’t think that’s good enough. Our campaign recommends that Coca-Cola change its goal to use 100% recycled material in its packaging by 2030. 

By buying shares through Tulipshare with other like-minded investors, we can advocate for this change collectively and push for change from the inside. We already have $9,818 invested in the campaign with 2,500+ users interested. This is just one example of the power of activist investing, which can help to bring about direct change in even the biggest corporations.

If you’re interested in doing your bit in the fight against climate change, activist investing is a unique way to bring about much-needed change. Take a look through the [Tulipshare site](https://tulipshare.com/) to learn more about activist investing and create an account today!





How to turn the promises made at COP26 into a success

While this is a positive move and a step in the right direction, we have identified gaps within the Self Service Repair Program that still need to be addressed. 

Apple made headlines last week after announcing its new [Self Service Repair Program](https://www.apple.com/uk/newsroom/2021/11/apple-announces-self-service-repair/). This is a huge move for Apple, which -  until now - has publicly lobbied against the right to repair movement. 

While this is a positive move and a step in the right direction, we have identified gaps within the Self Service Repair Program that still need to be addressed. 

## The cost for some replacement parts might continue to be prohibitively expensive, with the cost of a brand-new device being only marginally higher

So far, there is no indication of the costs associated with the Self Service Repair Program. How expensive will it be to purchase a repair manual and spare parts?

Under Apple's [current Independent Repair Program](https://www.vice.com/en/article/evjx9j/apple-will-finally-sell-iphone-parts-to-repair-shops-but-not-to-you), which can only be carried out by certain registered technicians, it is sometimes cheaper for customers to buy a brand new device than to get their devices repaired. Whether this will be an issue under the Self Service Repair Program remains to be seen.  

![iphone 2.jpeg](https://storage.googleapis.com/cdn-f458e52/iphone_2_047554a6d1/iphone_2_047554a6d1.jpeg)

## The program will initially focus only on a few types of repairs:

When the Self Service Repair Program is launched next year, only a few types of repairs will be available. These include the most commonly serviced modules such as the iPhone display, battery and camera – but only for the latest two generations.  This is a good start but we will be looking to see if other parts will become available and for earlier generations.  Parts for other Apple products, like laptops, won’t be available when the Self Service Program launches.  

## Apple’s statement that the Self Service Repair program is “intended for individual technicians" is concerning

Apple has [stated](https://www.apple.com/uk/newsroom/2021/11/apple-announces-self-service-repair/) that the Self Service Repair program is  “intended for individual technicians, with the knowledge and experience to repair electronic devices”. They go on further to say that “the vast majority of customers visiting a professional repair provider ... is the most reliable way to get a repair”. 

These quotes suggest that everyday customers who have no electrical repair experience will not be empowered to repair their devices. Many customers therefore may still have to use registered Apple technicians to fix their devices and have to incur higher costs because of this. 

In light of these concerns around Apple’s Self Service Repair program, we will continue to engage with Apple and keep you updated.

What do you think about Apple’s new policy? We’d love to hear your opinion. Drop us a line at support@tulipshare.com to be part of the conversation.



Apple self service repair program and how it’s still missing the mark

Outrage became our currency. And yet it still hasn’t been enough. Despite the disruption, the financial world has continued to turn, the rich have continued to get richer.

History will mark the year 2020 as the year that brought us the pandemic. But think back - well before the first whispers of Coronavirus - and you might remember that the year actually began with devastating wildfires in Australia. Wildfires which brought an urgency to climate change and gave the world a sense of restlessness, a feeling that something had to be done and it had to be done now. Little did we know, that sense of restlessness would come to pervade our lives in unimaginable ways, growing exponentially and manifesting in us a demand for change that is now impossible to ignore.

Since then, protests have reigned - school strikes, Black Lives Matter, condemnation of inadequate leadership - you name it, there has been a protest for it. Outrage has become our currency. And yet it still hasn’t been enough. Despite the disruption, the financial world has continued to turn, the rich have continued to get richer.

What has become clear from these past two years is that our system is broken and shouting about it has brought no meaningful change. What is needed now is action. 

Tulipshare takes the momentum gained since the start of 2020 - all the anger, outrage, and demands for change - and turns it into action. And we’re not just proposing another opportunity for ‘clicktivism.' We’re supplying the Trojan horse for activists who might never have engaged with the financial sector before, but who recognize its power and potential for meaningful solutions. It’s also a platform for the seasoned retail investor, those who yearn to find synergy between their investments and their values. It’s for those who’ve long thought divestment was the best way forward. Tulipshare offers another way forward: engagement. 

Skeptics will no doubt have a lot to say about our approach. But those skeptics haven’t been paying attention over the past year. If they had, they would have seen the success that this engagement approach has already had at ExxonMobil, or the effect Black Lives Matter had on Wall Street, or just how many companies are coming under shareholder pressure to conduct racial equity audits. The Financial Times said that Europe is entering a ‘golden age of investor activism.’ Tulipshare will be at the forefront of this golden age. And not just in Europe - globally.

Simultaneously, we’re in the midst of a retail investor boom. Look no further than the Reddit effect on Gamestop and you will see an example of how the power is shifting. Big corporations are tuning in to this shift and responding to the pressure. Our own campaigns and the ideas behind them continue to gain momentum. In the short time since the birth of Tulipshare we have already seen Apple have a change of heart on their its protocol. 

It doesn’t take much to see where the times are headed. Currently, very few retail investors exercise their voting rights as shareholders. But it’s only a matter of time before that changes. 

So far, thousands have shown interest in supporting our campaigns on Apple, Amazon and Coca-Cola, and tens of thousands of dollars have been invested in these campaigns. Our newest campaign challenges JPMorgan Chase to stop its investment in fossil fuels. But this is just the tip of the iceberg. Our team of analysts and lawyers are gearing up for a busy proxy season, one that is sure to see many ESG topics on ballots, with more Tulipshare campaigns - and hopefully more wins for activist investors - on the horizon.

I started Tulipshare with the goal of unifying retail shareholders globally, and we have already set the wheels in motion by applying for registration as a broker-dealer in the US. Interested investors outside of the UK can sign up to be a part of the waiting list and receive updates about when our platform will be available to them. 

The bottom line is that the financial sector can ignore petitions and protests, but it can’t ignore money. Money is the only language it speaks. And so, in order to engage in dialogue, we must use money. And not just money from the few at the top; with Tulipshare, activist investing can - and should - be for the people. Now, with $10.8 million in funding secured and our eye on expansion, we remain firmly committed to bringing more power to the people.


With Love,

Antoine
