In 2018, the principles for a Responsible Civilian firearms Industry were conceived and written by Christopher J Ailman, Chief Investment Officer CalSTRS; Christianna Wood, Fellow at Harvard's Advanced Leadership Initiative; MIchael McCauley, Senior Officer at the Florida State Board of Administration; Peter Reali, Senior Director at Nuveen; John O'Hara, Managing Director and Senior Advisor at Rockefeller Asset Management; and Rakhi Kumar, Senior Managing Director, Head of ESG Investments and Asset Stewardship at State Street Global Advisors.
The five principles are intended to provide guidance for investors and a framework for engagement with public and private companies, based in and outside of the U.S., that are involved in manufacturing, distributing, selling or regulating products within the civilian firearms industry. The pinciples are focused on taking steps to reduce reputational and financial risks to asset owners by encouraging companies involved in the civilian firearms industry to address gun safety issues.
The Principles are not a political statement, but rather a joint assertion by the signatories that investors have a stake in promoting meaningful progress in curbing the misuse of firearms and to advance public safety. Each signatory investor has the ability to customize how they engage their own portfolio companies to best meet their individual investment and stewardship strategies.