ADAO is proud to stand with the international community in support of a petition and letter to the United Nation’s Secretary-General to ban Stephen Schmidheiny from attending the United Nation’s Rio+ 20 Conference, and to declare Schmidheiny persona non grata. At the time of this posting the petition had over 1,000 signatories, but you can still sign the petition to show your support.
You can read an English copy of the letter to Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon for yourself below, and an Italian copy available, here.
May 28, 2012
RE: Petition to Declare Stephan Schmidheiny Persona Non Grata
Dear Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon:
Last month, Brazilian public health advocate Fernanda Giannasi initiated a petition urging the United Nations to prohibit Mr. Stephan Schmidheiny from participating in the Rio+20 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development to be held on June 20-22, 2012, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Since its creation, the petition has been translated into six languages and signed by over 1,000 people. In light of Schmidheiny’s February 2012 sentencing to 16 years in prison for knowingly exposing over 2,000 of his employees to asbestos, the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO), an independent non-profit organization dedicated to eliminating asbestos disease through education and advocacy, joins the global community in urging the United Nations to declare Stephan Schmidheiny persona non grata at the Rio+20 conference.
As founder and honorary chairman of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, Stephan Schmidheiny is often referred to as a pioneer of sustainable development and corporate social responsibility. However, earlier this year, a court in Turin, Italy found Schmidheiny was responsible for the deaths and illnesses of hundreds of employees at Eternit Group, an asbestos-reinforced cement company owned by Schmidheiny. Accordingly, the Italian court sentenced Schmidheiny to 16 years in prison. Schmidheiny, who refused to appear in court during the two-year trial, has yet to assume responsibility for his actions.
The World Business Council for Sustainable Development intends to play a prominent role in the Rio+20 Conference. Additionally, Fundación Avina, a private foundation established by Schmidheiny, is an organizing partner of the Conference’s June 22nd on-site side event titled “Climate Change and Sustainable Development in Latin America.” On account of Schmidheiny’s reprehensible actions, allowing Stephan Schmidheiny to participate in the Rio+20 Conference would be unconscionable.
Therefore, in solidarity with public health advocates throughout the world and the over 1000 petition signatories, we the undersigned urge the United Nations to prohibit Stephan Schmidheiny from participating in the Rio+20 Conference.
Sincerely,
*UPDATE* La Stampa, a major publication in Italy, has posted an article claiming that Stephan Schmidheiny has indeed been invited to participate in Rio+20, despite contrary reports from some agencies.
See the signatures of those who have signed on!
Petition to Declare Stephen Schmidheiny persona non grata
Italian Court Verdict
ADAO Blog Report: Eternit Executives Guilty in Landmark Criminal Trial!