NCPPR: Amazon Shareholders Should Vote Yes On Viewpoint Diversity At Online Annual Shareholder Meeting Tomorrow

USA - English

• USA - English

WASHINGTON, May 26, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Center for Public Policy Research has filed a shareholder resolution urging Amazon to respect diverse viewpoints and stop viewpoint discrimination that alienates customers and harms shareholder value. Amazon has recommended that shareholders vote against the proposal at their Annual Shareholder Meeting tomorrow, May 27^th, at 9AM Pacific.

NCPPR advanced a shareholder initiative that would require Amazon to prepare and distribute an annual report detailing the costs of failing to encourage equal access and voice to a variety of social and political perspectives. By opposing transparency on this issue, Amazon raises serious questions about its self-professed commitment to diversity and inclusion.

Amazon has been the subject of controversy for corporate policies that are considered discriminatory against conservative viewpoints. For example, Amazon allows the controversial and left-wing Southern Poverty Law Center to control nonprofit eligibility for the AmazonSmile charitable support program.  SPLC denies access to conservative charities, while maintaining its status as a top fifty recipient of funds from this program, which is one of the largest grantors of charitable funds in America, totaling $169,850,767.10 as of February, 2020.

According to NCPPR General Counsel Justin Danhof, "It is shocking that Amazon has once again rejected calls to offer equal access to foundations with diverse viewpoints to their AmazonSmile program, especially since it is funded entirely by the purchases of Amazon customers, who decide for themselves how they want their donations directed… unless they choose a conservative foundation. A foundation that has passed through almost $170 million should be making its own decisions about eligibility and should not be discriminating against 501(c)3 registered organizations based on the Southern Poverty Law Center, which has been discredited by one scandal after another. This shareholder season, over 35,000 conservative Amazon customers petitioned Amazon's board to stop, yet Amazon continues to ignore their customers."

It is just the latest in a long string of controversies for Amazon, which have mounted even as they have grown to be one of the most important retailers in America. In recent weeks, they have been the target of employee actions regarding worker safety and accused of stealing and copying product designs from their own customers, leading to congressional investigation. They have also been accused of removing books from sale that espouse mainstream religious views.

Justin Danhof has submitted an audio statement supporting the resolution NCPPR has advanced and will attend the meeting online. He is available for interviews.

SOURCE The National Center for Public Policy Research