Friends Fiduciary Co-Files Civil Rights Equity Audit Proposal at Uber

Friends Fiduciary co-filed a civil rights equity audit proposal at Uber this proxy season with lead filer SOC Investment Group. The proposal asks the company’s Board of Directors to oversee a third-party audit analyzing the adverse impact of Uber’s policies and practices on the civil rights of company stakeholders and to provide recommendations for improving the company’s civil rights impact. The resolution addresses concerns of sexual assault and harassment at rideshare companies, racial discrimination in Uber’s pricing algorithm, rating system bias against drivers of color, and the less reliable offerings of wheelchair accessible service.

FFC chose to file this resolution due to the possible disproportionate impacts Uber’s policies and practices may have on underrepresented communities and communities of color, speaking to the Quaker values of equality, integrity, and community. As companies have continued to make statements and commitments around support for racial equality, it is important that companies are able to assess any misalignment between commitments and actual company impacts on stakeholders, which could present reputational risk. A third-party civil rights equity audit provides a company with further information around possible unintended negative impacts on stakeholders and communities of color and provides recommendations on how to mitigate and remedy such impacts.

Uber has announced their intention to complete the audit as requested by the shareholder proposal and project it will be published in May 2023. Please find here MarketWatch and Fortune articles highlighting the announcement.