Some Google shareholders expressed concern over cloud data centers in places like India, company responds – Times of India
Some shareholders of Google parent Alphabet have reportedly said that they were concerned by the company’s plans to expand data center operations in locations including India which they claimed were reported by the US State Department’s Country Reports on Human Rights Practices to present significant human rights violations.
“These include… Delhi, India where the government frequently orders internet shutdowns and where Google’s Transparency report showed a 69% increase in government requests for user data in 2019 and an additional 50% by 2021,” said the proposal reviewed by Economic Times.
The Proposal Number 10, titled ‘Stockholder proposal regarding human rights assessment of data center siting’ reportedly mentioned that shareholders have requested the Board of Directors to commission a report assessing the siting of Google Cloud Data Centers in countries of ‘significant human rights concern’ which includes India, Jakarta, Indonesia, Doha and Qatar. The proposal has been filed by SumofUS, a global non-profit advocacy organisation and an online community, which has now been renamed Eko. The Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate-United States Province is a co-filer of this proposal along with others.
It asked for the report to be published on the company’s website within six months of the 2023 shareholders meeting which is to be held on June 2.
Google’s response to the proposal
Google parent Alphabet on its part said that its company’s enduring commitment to human rights is reflected in its ‘robust management and governance structures’ regarding risks related to human rights. It has asked shareholders to vote against the proposal. “Our existing extensive disclosures provide transparency on our approach to evaluating and managing human rights-related risks, including in the context of siting data centers. Therefore, our Board believes the additional report requested by this proposal would not provide additional useful information to our stockholders and recommends a vote AGAINST this proposal,” the company said in its opposing statement.
“These include… Delhi, India where the government frequently orders internet shutdowns and where Google’s Transparency report showed a 69% increase in government requests for user data in 2019 and an additional 50% by 2021,” said the proposal reviewed by Economic Times.
The Proposal Number 10, titled ‘Stockholder proposal regarding human rights assessment of data center siting’ reportedly mentioned that shareholders have requested the Board of Directors to commission a report assessing the siting of Google Cloud Data Centers in countries of ‘significant human rights concern’ which includes India, Jakarta, Indonesia, Doha and Qatar. The proposal has been filed by SumofUS, a global non-profit advocacy organisation and an online community, which has now been renamed Eko. The Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate-United States Province is a co-filer of this proposal along with others.
It asked for the report to be published on the company’s website within six months of the 2023 shareholders meeting which is to be held on June 2.
Google’s response to the proposal
Google parent Alphabet on its part said that its company’s enduring commitment to human rights is reflected in its ‘robust management and governance structures’ regarding risks related to human rights. It has asked shareholders to vote against the proposal. “Our existing extensive disclosures provide transparency on our approach to evaluating and managing human rights-related risks, including in the context of siting data centers. Therefore, our Board believes the additional report requested by this proposal would not provide additional useful information to our stockholders and recommends a vote AGAINST this proposal,” the company said in its opposing statement.
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