(Falls Church, Va., 2/2/17) — Azzad Asset Management has joined other socially responsible investment institutions in signing a coalition letter to the 19 CEOs who are members of President Trump’s Strategic and Policy Forum, asking them to exercise their influence to oppose the president’s recent executive order barring refugees and certain immigrants from seven majority-Muslim countries.
In addition to public outcry against the ban on humanitarian and constitutional grounds, many have pointed out the negative impact of barring international workers on the economy, including several of the CEOs on the presidential forum.
Written by the International Corporate Accountability Roundtable, the Institute for Human Rights and Business, and the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility, the letter calls on these business leaders to use their position on the Strategic and Policy Forum to:
- speak out strongly against the president’s executive order and work to have it rescinded,
- encourage the president to ensure respect for all workers without discrimination, and
- urge the U.S. government to align corporate policies with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
The letter was signed by 64 socially responsible investment firms and human rights and religious organizations. The Strategic and Policy Forum’s first meeting is scheduled for February 3.
The letter states, in part:
“As business leaders participating in U.S. President Donald Trump’s Strategic and Policy Forum, we are writing … to urge you to show individual and collective leadership on human rights and responsible business practices. …
“Promoting respect for human rights and responsible business conduct will not only benefit the American people, but will ensure an inclusive and prosperous economy.”
“I hold especially dear the values of inclusion and tolerance that make America great,” said Azzad President and CEO Bashar Qasem. “Many of our clients are immigrants who have been fortunate to live the American dream. We lose something fundamental to our identity as a beacon of hope to the world when we exclude people on the basis of nationality or religion.”
ABOUT ICAR
The International Corporate Accountability Roundtable (ICAR), a project of the Tides Center, is a civil society organization working to ensure that governments create, implement, and enforce laws and policies to protect against business-related human rights abuse.
ABOUT IHRB
Founded in 2009, the Institute for Human Rights and Business (IHRB) is the leading international think tank on business and human rights. IHRB’s mission is to shape policy, advance practice and strengthen accountability in order to make respect for human rights part of everyday business.
ABOUT ICCR
Celebrating its 46th year, the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR) is the pioneer coalition of shareholder advocates who view the management of their investments as a catalyst for social change. Its 300 member organizations comprise faith communities and other socially responsible investors who work in coalition to promote greater corporate accountability on issues of environmental and social importance.
ABOUT AZZAD
Azzad Asset Management, investment advisor to the Azzad Funds and sponsor of the Azzad Ethical Wrap Program, is committed to providing investment services designed to help people enjoy optimum performance without compromising their values. Azzad is a member of the Forum for Sustainable and Responsible Investment, the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility, and the Accounting and Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions. The firm, based outside Washington, D.C., is a registered investment advisor with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
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Contact: Investment Communications Director Joshua Brockwell, 703-207-7005, ext. 109, joshua@azzad.net; Amina Rubin, 703-207-7005, ext. 120, amina@azzad.net
Please consider a Fund’s objectives, risks, charges and expenses carefully before you invest. The summary prospectus and prospectus contain this and other important information. For a hard copy, please call 1-888-350-3369. Read the prospectus carefully before investing or sending money. The Azzad Funds are self-distributed. Azzad Asset Management serves as investment advisor.
