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Monsanto did not have a defined Human Rights Policy and this was
brought to their attention in 2004. It was embarrassing for a company of this size to have
ignored basic principles that have been adopted by leading organizations
and businesses for the past 50 years. As a major international player,
Monsanto had the ability to be a leader in this area. Religious
organizations such as the Society of Jesus together with Aquinas and other like-minded investors leveraged prior dialogs with the company on environmental
and human safety issue areas. Monsanto had brought in new
management at the start of the Twentieth
Century to replace corrupt prior management. Shareholders encouraged Monsanto to adopt a Human Rights Policy and then to implement action programs to build into their culture and compliance programs. In 2009,Monsanto developed a comprehensive basic human rights
program. They hired Business for Social Responsibility and have implemented
programs for all 36 countries where they operate. The ten countries
with the most human rights challenges have specific actions to correct
shortfalls in areas of child labor, forced labor, wages, and worker
safety. Additionally, Monsanto has established champions within the company to help
guide continuous improvement. Aquinas staff has reviewed and participated in company-wide training packages which are
in many languages. Aquinas reserved the right to be involved in future steps and
to provide examples of best practices
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