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Sister Barbara Aires is in the forefront of efforts by religious leaders to press corporate giants on social and environmental issues. At Wal-Mart's annual meeting earlier this year, she confronted CEO Lee Scott over the absence of women and minorities in the retailer's management ranks. She has also taken on utilities over carbon dioxide emissions and drug companies like Pfizer and Merck over the prices of their products and their availability to HIV/AIDS patients. Aires is treasurer and director of corporate responsibility for the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth in Convent Station. She does her advocacy work through the Interfaith Center for Corporate Responsibility in Manhattan. Aires spoke with NJBIZ Senior Writer Bill Quinn.
NJBIZ: How does the Interfaith Center for Corporate Responsibility work?
Aires: Our task has been not only to oversee our fiduciary responsibility regarding any investments we make to sustain the works of the faith communities, but also to review and make determinations on both the social and human rights and economic and environmental impacts of those investments. We prefer that we invest in companies that demonstrate strong evidence of social and human rights, [and] economic and environmental responsiveness to the various stakeholders that they deal with.
NJBIZ: What do you do as director of corporate responsibility for your order?
Aires: Our task is within our own system to make sure that the values and principles of the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth are adhered to by the managers of the various parts of our [investment] portfolio and that I consult with them from time...