In a one-two punch against Kimberly-Clark, the Kleercut campaign made important progress last week at KC's Annual General Meeting (AGM). A significant portion of KC shareholders voted in favor of a proposal submitted by Domini Social Investments. This proposal, which addresses many of the Kleercut campaign's concerns, asks the company to: prepare a report assessing the feasibility of phasing out our company's use of non-FSC certified fiber within 10 years� with an emphasis on increasing the use of recycled fiber and avoiding fiber sourced from certification schemes other than FSC. The resolution earned the support of 7.4% of voting shares or a whopping $2 billion worth of KC stock. By voting in favor of the resolution, KC shareholders have sent a strong message to KC executives that the company's environmentally irresponsible behavior will not be tolerated.
Harvard University student Elizabeth Shope described to KC board members, executives and shareholders her successful campaign to begin a phase-out of KC products at student housing facilities. Harvard is the fourth campus to express concern over Kimberly-Clark�s poor sustainability practices following American University, Skidmore College and Rice University. Read the announcement in the Harvard Crimson.
Greenpeace Forest Campaigners from the US and Canada, and Helene Walsh, an Alberta Foothills Network representative, also spoke at KC's AGM. The Greenpeace campaigners discussed the shareholder resolution, as well as informed the KC board of directors, KC executives and attending KC shareholders about recent developments in the Kleercut campaign. Walsh spoke about the on-the-ground impacts of KC's atrocious forestry policies.
Greenpeace's attendance at the KC AGM generated a number of newspaper stories. These stories shine light on the destructive logging practices of Alberta timber company, West Fraser Timber.
