Socialｌy Responsible Companies - Norway

Norway Keeps Nest Egg From Some U.S. Companies - The New York Times

Norway has amassed a fortune of more than $300 billion over the last decade, thanks to its profits from oil exports. Yet few countries are more ambivalent about their vast wealth than this modest, socially conscious society of less than five million people.

So rather than managing their monstrous nest egg simply for the best returns, the reluctant billionaires of Norway are using the money to advance an ambitious ethical code they established in 2004 for their oil reserve, known as the Government Pension Fund.

ノルウェイって、油田があって、お金持ちでなんだ。でもって、外国企業の株主として、アメリカ企業などに大口の投資をしていたのか。。。　２００４年に倫理規定が政府レベルで出きたようだけど、それにそわない企業活動を行っている企業への投資を止めることにしたのね。

Among the first companies to run afoul of Norway’s standards were makers of cluster bombs and nuclear weapons or related components — a list that includes General Dynamics and Northrop Grumman, in addition to Boeing and Lockheed Martin.

Then last June, Norway added Wal-Mart Stores to its blacklist, alleging that the retailer was guilty of tolerating child-labor violations by its suppliers in the developing world and obstructing unions at home. The fund sold off more than $400 million worth of Wal-Mart shares.

そうしたＳｏｃｉａｌ　Ｒｅｓｐｏｎｓｉｂｉｌｉｔｙの観点に会わない企業として、戦闘用の爆弾などの武器を製造する会社がアウトになって、発展途上国で子供に働かせていたＷａｌｍａｒｔが去年の６月にダメダメになったのね。。。

でもって、なぜ投資のリターンよりも、こうしたＳｏｃｉａｌ　Ｒｅｓｐｏｎｓｉｂｉｌｉｔｙを重要視するようになったのかというと、

With the spike in oil prices, it has become the biggest public fund in Europe. At the rate it is growing, experts say it will be worth $800 billion to $900 billion in a decade. That translates into $180,000 for every man, woman and child in Norway.

“Inevitably, Norwegians feel bad about having all this money,” said Gro Nystuen, a human rights lawyer who is chairman of an ethics council that screens investments. “Our job is to make the Norwegian people feel less guilty.”

近年の原油価格の高騰のおかげで儲け過ぎたことに対して、ノルウェイの国民は他の国に対して後ろめたかったみたい。。。　だから、ノルウェイの政府は国民が納得する投資先に絞ることにしたようです。

自分のことだけでなく、他の国の人々も幸せに生活することを願うなんて、バブルの時の日本企業や政府と違い、Ｎｏｂｌｅだなと思いました。