Several Danish pension companies have collaborated to submit a shareholder proposal to Amazon aiming to ensure the labour rights of workers.

A total of 12 Danish investors managing assets worth DKK 5trn have submitted a shareholder proposal asking Amazon’s board to commission an assessment of Amazon’s approach to ensuring employees’ right to organise and bargain collectively through an independent third party.

This proposal was also made as Amazon’s general meeting last year, with it gaining 38 per cent support as a proportion of the share capital.

In autumn 2022, Sampension, PenSam and PKA initiated a dialogue with Amazon to obtain documentation that Amazon respects the rights of its employees to organise in a trade union, and negotiate wages and working conditions collectively.

The initiative has now been expanded to 12 Danish investors, including AP Pension, AkademikerPension, Danica Pension, PBU, PensionDanmark, PFA and Velliv.

According to the investors, the background for the initiative was a series of cases whereby Amazon is accused of allegedly violating workers’ rights.

The Danish investors therefore want Amazon to deliver an independent report that shows how the company ensures employees’ rights in practice.

A joint statement from the 12 investors in the initiative stated: "As active investors, each of us has already exerted our influence in Amazon through various initiatives with a view to securing the rights of the employees. And by joining together in this dialogue initiative, we will now put even more pressure on the company.

“With the initiative, we are also sending a strong signal that labour rights are a central focus area for Danish investors.

"There is a movement underway internationally, where more and more investors are putting pressure on Amazon regarding labour rights.

“And with this initiative, which complements our other efforts to influence the company, we can further contribute to this development and thus increase the possibility of making a real difference - both in the run-up to the upcoming general meeting and over time."

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