In the countdown to the Cisco Shareholder’s Annual Meeting on November 19, investors are coming under increased appeals to vote for the resolution on the Holy Land Principles— an 8-point corporate code of conduct for American companies doing business in Israel-Palestine.

The Holy Land Principles—launched on International Human Rights Day, December 10, 2012— are modeled on the Mac Bride Principles that have proved to be so effective in promoting fair employment in Northern Ireland. 116 American companies have signed the Mac Bride Principles.

Fr. Sean Mc Manus, President of the Capitol Hill-based Irish National Caucus and Holy Land Principles, Inc., said: “ With the precedence of 116 American companies signing the Mac Bride Principles, how can any company have problems with signing the Holy Land Principles? That is the question I urge Cisco investors to ask in good faith. I know this issue is sensitive but fair is fair. Investors cannot continue to ignore the elephant in the room. Now that this issue (fair employment by American companies doing business in the Holy Land) has been finally raised, how in justice and fairness, can it be ignored? Especially since Cisco’s own 2012 Corporate Sustainability Report admits the shocking fact that while Arabs make up 20 percent of the population in Israel they are  less than 0.4 percent of the high tech industry workforce. Surely investors who believe in corporate responsibility and responsible investment cannot continue to ignore this? And surely investors can now see that the Holy Land Principles are practical and particularized way of implementing the Ruggie Principles, which Cisco states it supports?”

Fr. Mc Manus continued: “ The Holy Land Principles are pro-Jewish, pro-Palestinian and pro-company. The Principles are a perfect way for Cisco to send a clear message that it wants to do the right thing—to demonstrate it wants to practice fair employment in its operations in the Holy Land. Who could argue against that?”

Barbara Flaherty, Executive Vice President of Holy Land Principles, Inc. said: “ We look forward to moving the Resolution at Cisco’s Annual Meeting on November 19 at 10 AM (PST) in San Jose, California. We have faith in the fairness of the American people and in Cisco’s investors. We respectfully urge all investors to vote for the Holy Land Principles.”

See text of Resolution here: http://www.holylandprinciples.org/holy-land-principles-cisco-systems-inc-resolution

Holy Land Principles, Inc

Holy Land Principles, Inc

HOLY LAND PRINCIPLES,Inc., dedicated to getting the 545 American companies doing business in Palestine-Israel to sign the Holy Land Principles.

The Holy Land Principles are pro-Jewish, pro-Palestinian and pro-company.

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