Our group's Native name Yethiya wihe’ means “We all give to them/We all invest in them” in the Oneida language. IIPWG calls are held on the third Thursday of every month. All are welcome.
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Thank you to everyone who was able to attend the February IIPWG strategy call. We express our deep appreciation to Chairman Juan Mancias for his presentation about the Carrizo/Comecrudo Tribe of Texas’s priorities on LNG impacts and provide an update below to the follow-up sent last week. Please also find highlights from discussions about Bank of America’s climate policy rollback, the KC NFL team name in light of the recent Super Bowl win, and the Lead the Charge clean car report. Please also find links to upcoming events, recently released resources, and news items that may be of interest.
We look forward to seeing you on the next IIPWG call, Thursday, March 21, at 11:00 am ET. For interested shareholders, the monthly FPIC working group has been rescheduled to Thursday, March 14, at 1:00 pm ET.
Gwich’in Steering Committee Calls on Bank of America after Policy Rollback
Bank of America [BAC] rolled back its policy commitment to not finance oil and gas development in the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and certain coal-related projects at large, transitioning from a blanket prohibition on financing to merely “enhanced due diligence.” The company made the changes absent consultation with the Gwich’in people.
The Gwich’in Steering Committee and Gwich’in Youth Council voiced concern that the weakened commitment “threatens the Gwich’in way of life and the Porcupine Caribou Herd.” The Gwich’in Steering Committee has requested a meeting with Bank of America to discuss the policy changes and potential impacts to Indigenous Peoples’ in the Arctic. ICCR, alongside other investor partners, are drafting an investor statement in response to Bank of America’s policy shift.
Additional resources:
Native Leaders Continued Push for Kansas City NFL Team to Change Racist Name At Super Bowl
Native leaders protested and raised awareness of the harms perpetuated by racist sports mascots and names when the Kansas City NFL team appeared for the fourth time in five years in the 2024 Super Bowl, resulting in racist imagery and behavior again on display for national and global audiences.
On game day, the community groups Not In Our Honor, Kansas City Indian Center, Nuwu Art, and Az to Rally Against Native Mascots held a press conference to denounce the “continued celebration of cultural appropriation at the Super Bowl” and the KC Team’s “name, the appropriated imagery, stereotypical song and chop, and continued use of headdresses by fans”, which negatively impacts Indigenous Peoples and the broader Kansas City community.
IIPWG asks sponsors of the KC NFL team and other teams with a racist name, logo and branding to advocate for 1) retirement of the name and branding; 2) a total ban of racist fan behavior, including mocking chants, culturally and ethnically inappropriate face paint, faux ceremonial headdresses and regalia; 3) alignment with anti-harassment and DEI policies; and 4) remedy and remediation for impacted Indigenous Peoples now and after the name is changed.
Automakers Show Little Progress to Improve Indigenous Rights Risk Due Diligence
Automakers are ignoring risks and potential harm to Indigenous Peoples in their supply chains and are failing to take action to scope for Indigenous Rights Risk and uphold the rights of Indigenous Peoples, according to the second edition of the Lead the Charge Clean Car Leaderboard released this week.
The report, which assessed 18 leading automakers’ efforts “to eliminate emissions, environmental harms, and human rights violations from their supply chains”, shows that Indigenous Peoples’ rights are still the lowest-scoring among 80 indicators and where the industry has shown the least amount of improvement since Lead the Charge first published its leaderboard in 2023. Eleven out of the 18 automakers continued to score 0% on Indigenous Peoples’ rights and the few companies that ranked on FPIC due diligence performed well below standards: Tesla [TSLA] (26%), Mercedes [MBGYY], (15%), General Motors [GM] (11%), BMW [BMWYY] (8%), and Ford [F] (7%).
Read more Indigenous Rights Risk takeaways and view Lead the Charge’s leaderboard and full report.
Update to Presentation by Chairman Mancias, Carrizo/Comecrudo Tribe of Texas
Following Chairman Juan Mancias’s presentation on the advocacy undertaken by the Carrizo/Comecrudo Tribe of Texas to hold companies accountable for LNG infrastructure that threatens the landscape and tribal sacred sites, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved the Saguaro Connector Pipeline (ONEOK [OKE]), which is planned to be built through the Tribe’s sacred Indian Hot Springs.
The Tribe is calling on state pension funds, banks, and insurance companies to cease financing the LNG projects in the region that violate the Tribe’s right to self-determination. IIPWG participants can review presentation highlights, resources, contact information, and a link to a recording of Chairman Mancias’ presentation here.
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Extractive Industry Impact on Indigenous Communities
Indigenous Peoples’ Rights and Perspectives in Business and Development
International
U.S.
Eradicating Racist Mascots, Names and Appropriation
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