Uber Technologies Inc. | Lobbying Expenditures Disclosure at Uber Technologies Inc.

Status
45.20% votes in favour
AGM date
Proposal number
4
Resolution details
Lead filer
The International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT)
Resolution ask
Report on or disclose
ESG theme
  • Governance
ESG sub-theme
  • Lobbying / political engagement
Type of vote
Shareholder proposal
Filer type
Shareholder
Company sector
Technology
Company HQ country
United States
Resolved clause
the shareholders request the preparation of a report, updated annually, disclosing the following information: Company policy and procedures governing lobbying, both direct and indirect, and grassroots lobbying communications.Payments by Uber used for (a) direct or indirect lobbying or (b) grassroots lobbying communications, in each case including the amount of the payment and the recipient.Uber’s membership in and payments to any tax-exempt organization that writes and endorses model legislation.Description of the decisionmaking process and oversight by management and the Board for making payments described in sections 2 and 3 above. For purposes of this proposal, a grassroots lobbying communication is a communication directed to the general public that: (a) refers to specific legislation or regulation, (b) reflects a view on the legislation or regulation, and (c) encourages the recipient of the communication to take action with respect to the legislation or regulation. Indirect lobbying is lobbying engaged in by a trade association or other organization of which Uber is a member. Both direct and indirect lobbying and grassroots lobbying communications include efforts at the local, state and federal levels. The report shall be presented to the Nominating and Governance Committee and posted on Uber’s website.
Whereas clause
full disclosure of Uber’s direct and indirect lobbying activities and expenditures to assess whether Uber’s lobbying is consistent with its expressed goals and in shareholder interests.
Supporting statement
Uber fails to provide an annual report breaking out its lobbying payments by individual states, trade associations and social welfare groups (SWGs). Uber spent $10,490,000 on federal lobbying from 2016 – 2020, including a record $2.6 million in 2020.1 Uber also lobbies extensively at the state level, where disclosure is uneven or absent. Uber was a prominent participant in a $200 million ballot initiative in California to keep drivers classified as contractors. Uber’s CEO said the company would be more loudly advocating for state laws like Prop 22.2 Uber lobbies internationally, spending between €600,000–699,000 lobbying in Europe for 2020. Companies can give unlimited amounts to third-party groups that spend millions on lobbying and undisclosed grassroots activity. These groups may be spending at least double what’s publicly reported.3 Uber’s Political Engagement report4 does not fully disclose Uber’s payments to or membership in trade associations, nor does it disclose any payments to SWGs, or the amounts used for lobbying. Uber’s disclosure fails to disclose its membership in trade associations like the Chamber of Progress or Computer and Communications Industry Association.5 Uber’s lack of disclosure presents reputational risks when its lobbying contradicts company public positions or takes controversial positions. Uber’s lobbying has been compared to the tobacco industry.6 Uber has made contributions to community groups that write favorable op-eds as one facet of a multimillion-dollar lobbying campaign aimed at fighting regulations.7 And while Uber has opposed voter restrictions,8 the Chamber of Commerce, of which Uber is a member, lobbied against protecting voting rights.

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Organisation nameDeclared voting intentionsRationale
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