Resolved clauseShareholders request that the Board of Directors commission an independent third-party report, at reasonable expense and excluding proprietary information, on the due diligence process GE Aerospace (GE) uses to determine if customers use of its defense-related products, components, or systems contribute to human rights harms or violations of international humanitarian law (IHL) in conflict-affected and high-risk areas (CAHRA).
Whereas clauseGlobal conflict is at its highest level since World War II. In 2024, there was a 25 percent increase in violent events compared to 2023. [1] A record number of civilians are being harmed by advanced and conventional weapons systems, with civilian deaths in conflict surging 40 percent [2] and 123 million people forcibly displaced in 2024. [3] In response, the private sector is increasingly identifying CAHRA as a salient and material risk. For example, a survey of 1,200 CEOs indicated 97 percent of respondents had altered investment plans due to geopolitical volatility, [4] while another study found that 84 percent of the world?s 26 largest investors identified ?geopolitical confrontation? as a top three systemic risk. [5] Despite this, and in contrast to its stated policies, GE faces scrutiny for its business practices. GE?s Human Rights Policy states that the company ?respects all internationally recognized human rights in line with the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business & Human Rights, the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, and the International Bill of Human Rights? and ?treat[s] everyone affected by our business and value chain?including workers, customers, and communities?with fairness and dignity.? [6] Despite GE?s stated policies, research suggests a disconnect between the company?s policy and its practices. GE has supplied engines for aircraft and ships to militaries with records of IHL violations, [7] including those in Egypt, [8] India, [9] and Saudi Arabia. [10] GE has also provided products for Israeli Defense Forces fighter jets, [11] bombers, [12] and helicopters. [13] Some of these weapon systems have been used in Israel's military operations in Gaza since the Hamas attack in October 2023, which have been described by the International Court of Justice as having ?plausible evidence of genocide,? alongside other violations of international law, including war crimes and crimes against humanity. [14] Additionally, under a previous corporate structure, General Electric was accused of
Supporting statementShareholders seek information, at board and management discretion, through a report that: Discusses how risks associated with customer use of its products and services for military or defense purposes in CAHRA are assessed, mitigated, reported upon, and remedied; and Assesses if additional policies, practices, and governance measures are needed to mitigate risks. the Chinese military industrial complex [15] and partnering with entities linked to Uyghur forced labor. [16] The requested report is intended to offer investors meaningful insights into the company?s management of these risks, while also giving the company an opportunity to improve its practices, better align with industry peers, and mitigate material risks. [1] https://acleddata.com/series/acled-conflict-index [2] https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/06/un-data-shows-surge-civilian-deaths-conflict-globally-highlights-pervasive [3] https://www.unhcr.org/us/global-trends [4] https://assets.ey.com/content/dam/ey-sites/ey-com/en_us/topics/ceo/ey-ceo-outlook-pulse-survey-january-2023-global-report.pdf [5] https://www.thinkingaheadinstitute.org/news/article/worlds-largest-investors-increasingly-concerned-on-systemic-risks/ [6] https://www.geaerospace.com/sites/default/files/Human%20Rights%20Policy_EN.pdf [7] https://paxvoorvrede.nl/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/2023-Eerlijke-Geldwijzer-rapport-wapenhandel.pdf [8] https://www.hrw.org/news/2019/05/28/egypt-serious-abuses-war-crimes-north-sinai [9] https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/1/19/uk-asked-to-probe-indian-officials-over-kashmir-war-crimes [10] https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/04/18/yemen-latest-round-saudi-uae-led-attacks-targets-civilians [11] https://breakingdefense.com/2024/08/state-clears-potential-20b-in-weapon-sales-to-israel-including-new-f-15s/ [12] https://caat.org.uk/data/countries/israel/mapped-all-the-uk-companies-manufacturing-components-for-israels-f35-combat-aircraft/ [13] ?? https://www.govconwire.com/articles/ge-aerospace-books-684m-navy-contract-to-manufacture-turboshaft-engines [14] https://truthout.org/articles/israel-used-us-arms-to-commit-at-least-20-likely-war-crimes-since-october-7/ [15] https://victimsofcommunism.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Corporate-Complicity-Scorecard-2.3.22.pdf [16] https://jww.org/uyghurs-china-forced-labor-companies/?companyname=general+electric&utm