Calvert Social Funds and Companies in Sudan

Calvert's long-standing human rights and Indigenous Peoples' rights criteria explicitly prohibit investing in companies that have serious and persistent human rights problems, directly support governments that systematically deny human rights, or have a pattern and practice of violating the rights of Indigenous Peoples. Therefore, Calvert funds will not invest in companies that materially contribute to sustaining the Sudanese regime and the abuses in Darfur, such as natural resource extraction companies identified by the Sudan targeted divestment movement.

Calvert's funds are of course closely guided by our human rights and Indigenous Peoples' rights criteria.

Calvert's human rights criterion states:

The Funds seek to invest in companies that are responsible corporate citizens abroad, as well as at home, by developing and observing appropriate human rights standards. The Funds seek to avoid investing in companies that have serious and persistent human rights problems or directly support governments that systematically deny human rights.

Calvert's Indigenous Peoples' rights criterion states:

The Funds seek to invest in companies that respect Indigenous Peoples' rights and their territories, cultures, environment and livelihood. We avoid companies that have a pattern and practice of violating the rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Due to the consistent and rigorous application of our human rights and Indigenous Peoples' rights criteria, Calvert currently has no investments in companies that are materially involved in the conflict in Sudan or that are otherwise subject to targeted divestment as determined by the Sudan Divestment Task Force.

If Calvert should uncover any fund holdings that warrant further scrutiny due to possible involvement in Sudan, we are prepared to take appropriate action through engagement or divestment.

Prepared by Baljit Wadhwa.

Baljit Wadhwa, Social Research Analyst
Bachelor of Science in Molecular and Microbial Biology from the University of Calgary; Masters of Environmental Studies from the University of Waterloo, Canada.
Ms. Wadhwa joined Calvert in 2005 to provide Indigenous Peoples' rights and human rights analysis to business practices. Ms. Wadhwa's company focus includes the extractive, insurance and aerospace industries. Ms. Wadhwa's professional experience includes sustainability consulting services such as stakeholder engagement workshops, traditional knowledge studies, applied environmental and social research, sustainability reporting and performance measurement for a range of clients including government departments, international development agencies, civil society organizations and clients in the extractive industry. In addition to her time in the United States and Canada, Ms. Wadhwa has lived and worked in Southeast Asia, Africa and Central Asia. Her current professional interests include green buildings and social enterprises.