“We hope to see more investors join us in urging companies linked to the territory to act responsibly and helping Western Sahara get the attention it needs”, said Finish investor Ilmarinen.
Finnish investor Ilmarinen together with Folksam (Sweden) and KLP (Norway) have called on the world to join their efforts in Western Sahara. Together the three investors have carried out engagement with companies in Western Sahara over a number of years, assisted by the Swedish screening company GES Investment Services.
This is written in the latest issue of the GES Invests’s magazine. The article mentions how GES and the three Nordic investors have carried out engagement with four listed companies importing phosphates from Western Sahara: namely PotashCorp, FMC, Incitec Pivot and Wesfarmers.
”Although Western Sahara has not attracted much media attention as some other conflict areas, this does not mean that it is not of importance to investors. The latest UN reports strengthen the case for investors to engage with companies operating in this area to improve the situation”, said Anna Hyrske, head of responsible investments at the Finnish investor Ilmarinen.
WSRW has previously written how a number of European investors have blacklisted companies operating in occupied Western Sahara.
European banks divest from unethical Sahara fertiliser industry
At least six Scandinavian investors have the last few years divested from international fertiliser firms importing from occupied Western Sahara.
Norwatch: Rich on Plunder
The Norwegian Government Pension Fund has invested billions of Norwegian kroners in companies that participate in the plunder of Western Sahara. An examination carried out by Norwatch shows that Pension Fund companies are behind two-thirds of all phosphate purchases in the occupied country. Norwatch, 06 October 2009.
New report: Western Sahara phosphate trade halved
The export of phosphate rock from occupied Western Sahara has never been lower than in 2019. This is revealed in the new WSRW report P for Plunder, published today.
New report on Western Sahara phosphate industry out now
Morocco shipped 1.93 million tonnes of phosphate out of occupied Western Sahara in 2018, worth an estimated $164 million, new report shows. Here is all you need to know about the volume, values, vessels and clients.