The Seattle Human Rights Commission recently passed a resolution calling on the City of Seattle to divest or withhold contracts from corporations that provide products used in the violation of human rights law.
The Commission responded to numerous community organizations concerned about corporate involvement in crimes against humanity, including genocide, killings of civilians, destruction of civilian property, and human trafficking. This resolution follows Commission precedent in asking the City to divest from unethical corporations, as well as affirms the City’s commitment to human rights as a Human Rights City.
The resolution provides what Commissioner Jeremy Wood characterizes as “a framework to ensure the City’s investments and contracts accord with the City’s status as a Human Rights City with a commitment to racial and social justice, a commitment that necessarily includes consideration of international humanitarian law.”
At present, the resolution calls on the Seattle City Employees’ Retirement System Board of Administration and Purchasing Office to implement screening procedures to ensure they abstain from transactions with suspect corporations, and to collaborate in an ongoing effort with the community and Human Rights Commission to identify such corporations.
