Food fight: Domino’s* Is Challenging a Green Century Proposal to Limit Antibiotic Exposure of the Beef and Pork It Sources
Contact: Kyle W. Kempf, Green Century Capital Management, kkempf@greencentury.com, 617-482-0800
Boston, January 22, 2019 – Domino’s Pizza refuses to address the overuse of antibiotics in its beef and pork supply chains.
Antibiotic resistance is a global public health crisis, according to the World Health Organization, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the General Assembly of the United Nations. A leading contributor to this crisis is the overuse of antibiotics in food-animal production.
To combat the rise of antibiotic-resistant superbugs, Green Century recently filed a shareholder resolution with Domino’s Pizza, one of the ten largest fast-food chains in the United States, asking it to reduce the use of medically important antibiotics used in the production of the beef and pork it sources.
Domino’s is challenging the proposal with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, arguing that Green Century is attempting to “micromanage” its operations.
“For a company that prides itself on fast delivery, Domino’s certainly is slow to address this critical public health issue,” said Green Century Director of Communications Kyle W. Kempf. “Many fast food chains, including McDonald’s,* Subway,* and KFC,* have listened to investor and consumer concerns and developed policies to address the use of antibiotics in their supply chains.”
An astounding 70% of antibiotics important to fighting human infections are sold for use in meat and dairy production.
A recent study attributed the deaths of more than 150,000 Americans to antibiotic-resistant infections in 2010, making it the third highest cause of death in the U.S. that year.
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About Green Century Capital Management
Green Century offers three environmentally and socially responsible mutual funds. Through fossil fuel free investing and our three-pronged approach of sustainable investing, active shareholder advocacy, and support of environmental and public health non-profits we work to curb climate change, improve environmental policies, and limit environmental impacts of company supply chains.
*As of December 31, 2018, Domino’s Pizza, Inc. and McDonald’s Corporation comprised 0.00%, 0.10%, and 0.00% and 0.00%, 1.39%, 0.00% of the Green Century Balanced Fund, the Green Century Equity Fund, and the Green Century International Index Fund, respectively. No other securities mentioned were held in any of the portfolios of the Green Century Funds as of the same date. References to specific securities, which will change due to ongoing management of the Funds, should not be construed as a recommendation by the Funds, their administrator, or their distributor.
You should carefully consider the Fund’s investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses before investing. To obtain a Prospectus that contains this and other information about the Funds please click here, email info@greencentury.com, or call 1-800-934-7336. Please read the Prospectus carefully before investing.
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The Green Century Funds are distributed by UMB Distribution Services, LLC. 235 W Galena Street, Milwaukee, WI 53212. 1/19
