Proof of Impact – Will You Help?

Last March, the Attorneys General of 21 red states wrote major asset managers like BlackRock and Vanguard, seeking to intimidate them into voting against Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) shareholder resolutions. The 21-page letter mentions As You Sow an astounding 38 times.

In May, red state Treasurers followed up with their own letter, demanding that asset managers answer a raft of ESG-focused questions. Their goal is to completely derail the climate action and social progress that shareholders like As You Sow are driving.

Now, the U.S. House Judiciary Committee has formally subpoenaed As You Sow, alleging a potential violation of antitrust law “by entering into agreements to ‘decarbonize’ corporations and reduce emissions to net zero.” This allegation – which we believe has no merit – is a dramatic escalation in the far right’s campaign to defeat and reverse corporate progress on climate change and social justice. It’s also a real testament to the on-the-ground impact of As You Sow’s work – and a clarion call to fight back.

Defending against the House Judiciary Committee and red state Attorneys General and Treasurers is absolutely necessary. It’s also very expensive. Will you help build a defense fund?

This anti-ESG rhetoric is driven by a breathtaking degree of self-interest and short-term profit, creating real danger to sensible, risk-aware investing and frankly, the future of our planet. We are driven by the certainty that together, we can protect a future we want to see.