View MacBride Principles
View Berkshire’s letter

Comptroller William C. Thompson, Jr., on behalf of the New York City Pension Funds, announced today that Berkshire Hathaway Inc., which operates a subsidiary in Northern Ireland , has agreed to implement a set of guidelines to establish justice and equality in the workplace.

In a letter to the Comptroller, Berkshire Hathaway stated that it would comply with the MacBride Principles. Berkshire Hathaway is a holding company owning subsidiaries engaged in diverse business activities. Its subsidiary, Fruit of the Loom, Inc. (FOL), has employees in Northern Ireland .

"Berkshire and its subsidiaries, including FOL, are committed to take lawful steps in good faith to conduct business in Northern Ireland in accordance with the equal employment standards embodied in the MacBride Principles, as Berkshire and its subsidiaries, including FOL, believe these principles are best applied to its operations, and consistent with Berkshire's equal opportunity policies," Berkshire Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Marc D. Hamburg wrote to the Comptroller.

Thompson praised the Omaha , NE , company's decision to adhere to the Principles, and said the City now is withdrawing its resolution.

"Berkshire Hathaway has made a significant decision to ensure that discrimination in not accepted in the workplace," Thompson said. "Since 1989, more than 90 companies headquartered in the United States have adopted the Principles in response to calls from the New York City Pension Funds. Corporations must embrace these Principles to uphold efforts that encourage tolerance and equality."

"I am proud that the New York City Pension Funds have convinced Berkshire Hathaway to take this stand for equal opportunity," said New York City Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum, who serves on the New York City Employees' Retirement System (NYCERS). "As one of the most diverse and tolerant cities in the world, New York City should be a national leader in the fight against discrimination. Companies that benefit from our workers' pension funds must take sufficient steps to ensure a diverse workplace and protect their minority workers from discrimination."

The Berkshire Hathaway proposal was submitted by the NYCERS, Teachers' Retirement System of the City of New York (TRS), New York City Police Pension Fund, New York City Fire Department Pension Fund and the New York City Board of Education Retirement System (BERS).

Berkshire Hathaway of Omaha, NE, is the first company this season to adopt the Principles due to the Funds' shareholder resolutions. The Funds hold 15 shares valued at $1.3 million in the company.

This season, the Pension Funds also filed resolutions with: BE Aerospace of Wellington, FL; Claire's Stores of Hoffman Estates, IL; Crane Company of Stamford , CT ; Manpower, Inc. of Milwaukee , WI ; and, Yum Brands of Louisville, KY. Collectively, the Funds have nearly $101 million invested in Berkshire and the five companies.

The MacBride Principles were promulgated in 1984 by late Irish statesman, Nobel Peace laureate, and founder of Amnesty International Sean MacBride and several associates to serve as guidelines for corporations in Northern Ireland to ensure fair employment standards and foster a diverse workforce.

The nine principles are aimed at:

• Increasing the representation of individuals from underrepresented religious groups in the workforce, including managerial, supervisory, administrative, clerical and technical jobs;



• Ensuring adequate security for the protection of minority employees in the workplace and while traveling to and from work;



• Banning provocative religious or political emblems in the workplace;



• Publicly advertising job openings and recruitment efforts to attract applicants from underrepresented religious backgrounds;



• Adhering to fair practices in layoff and termination procedures and not favoring certain religious groups;



• Abolishing any job reservations, apprenticeship restrictions and differential employment criteria that discriminate on the basis of religion or ethnic origin;



• Developing job training programs for current minority employees for skilled jobs, including the expansion of existing programs and the creation of new ones to train, upgrade and improve the skills of minority employees;



• Establishing procedures to assess, identify and actively recruit minority employees with potential for further advancement; and



• Appointing senior management staff to oversee the company's affirmative action efforts to set up timetables to carry out affirmative action principles. 

Last year, at the request of the Pension Funds, Alberto Culver of Melrose Park , IL , agreed to urge franchise holders in Northern Ireland to implement the Principles and adhere to fair employment standards to foster a diverse workforce. In 2004, three companies - Coca Cola, Exxon and Marriott International agreed to implement the Principles.

Besides Thompson, the Pension Funds trustees are:

Fire Department Pension Fund: Mayor Michael Bloomberg; New York City Fire Commissioner Nicholas Scoppetta (Chair); New York City Finance Commissioner Martha E. Stark; Stephen Cassidy, President, James Slevin, Vice President, Robert Straub, Treasurer, and John Kelly, Brooklyn Representative and Chair, Uniformed Firefighters Association of Greater New York; Peter Gorman, President and Captains' Rep., Nicholas J. Visconti, Chiefs' Rep., and Stephen J. Carbone, Lieutenants' Rep., Uniformed Fire Officers Association; and, Joseph Gagliardi, Marine Engineers Association.

Police Pension Fund: Mayor Michael Bloomberg; New York City Finance Commissioner Martha E. Stark; New York City Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly (Chair); Patrick Lynch, Patrolmen's Benevolent Association; Michael Palladino, Detectives Endowment Association; Edward Mullins, Sergeants Benevolent Association; Anthony Garvey, Lieutenants Benevolent Association; and, John Driscoll, Captains Endowment Association.

NYCERS: New York City Finance Commissioner Martha E. Stark (Chair); New York City Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum; Borough Presidents Scott Stringer (Manhattan), Helen Marshall (Queens), Marty Markowitz (Brooklyn), Adolfo Carrion (Bronx), and James Molinaro (Staten Island); Lillian Roberts, Executive Director, District Council 37, AFSCME; Roger Toussaint, President Transport Workers Union Local 100; and, Carroll (Carl) Haynes, President, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Local 237.

TRS: New York City Finance Commissioner Martha E. Stark (Chair); Deputy Chancellor Kathleen Grimm, New York City Department of Education; and, Sandra March, Melvyn Aaronson and Mona Romain, all of the United Federation of Teachers.

BERS: mayoral appointees Schools Chancellor Joel Klein, Alan Aviles, Philip Berry, David Chang, Tino Hernandez, Augusta Souza Kappner, Richard Menschel and Marita Regan; Borough President appointees Jesse Mojica (Bronx), Martine G. Guerrier (Brooklyn), Vivian Farmery (Manhattan), Michael Flowers (Queens), and Joan Correale (Staten Island); and employee members Thomas J. Malanga of the International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 891 , and  Milagros Rodriguez of District Council 37, Local 372.

You can view the resolution and Berkshire 's letter at the Comptroller's web site: www.comptroller.nyc.gov