ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, NJ, UNITED STATES, April 28, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — The Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace (CSJP) is expressing profound disappointment following the Palantir Board of Directors’ decision to actively oppose a critical shareholder resolution on human rights. While the sisters welcome the inclusion of the proposal in the 2026 proxy statement (Proposal 5), they are deeply troubled that the company’s leadership has chosen to advise stockholders against a measure designed to ensure ethical accountability.
The resolution, originally filed by the Congregation in December 2025, calls on Palantir to conduct and publish a Human Rights Impact Assessment (HRIA). Such an assessment would examine actual and potential human rights risks associated with the use of Palantir’s software by government agencies and corporations, specifically regarding the rights to security of person; privacy; freedom of movement; freedom of expression; non-discrimination; peaceful assembly; and due process.
“We value Palantir’s engagement with us and their decision to include this resolution in the proxy,” said Sister Susan Francois, CSJP, Assistant Congregation Leader. “However, we hold the view that the Board’s recommendation for a ‘No’ vote is a missed opportunity. Pope Leo XIV recently reminded us that ‘public trust is earned by accuracy and transparency.’ We believe that transparency is not a threat to business, but rather the very foundation required to build public trust and to ensure the ethical use of technology.”
The sisters’ concerns are echoed by a broad coalition of faith leaders, heads of religious congregations, and religious organizations. In a recent interfaith letter, representatives of Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Buddhist, Hindu, and Interspiritual traditions agreed on the moral urgency of the resolution, noting that the sacred duty to protect the most vulnerable is common across all faiths. Citing alarming data, including an 84% surge in ICE detentions and record-high deaths in custody since January 2025, the letter asserts that Palantir’s software facilitates the violation of privacy and consent through its access to and merging of personal data. For all signatories, such practices represent a direct affront to the core tenets of their faiths.
In its statement of opposition, Palantir argued that an HRIA would provide no “materially useful information” and cited confidentiality obligations. The sisters and their partners at Investor Advocates for Social Justice (IASJ) disagree.
“Palantir’s contention that media reports are ‘misleading’ and contain ‘inaccuracies’ is exactly why an independent HRIA is necessary,” said Aaron Acosta, Program Director at IASJ. “If the allegations of rights violations are unfounded, a formal assessment would dispel them. To meet international human rights obligations, Palantir must ‘know and show’ that it respects human rights. Confidentiality clauses do not exempt a company from its obligations under international law.”
The Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace urge all Palantir shareholders to look beyond the Board’s recommendation and consider the long-term reputational and human rights risks associated with the misuse of artificial intelligence software.
“Our commitment to human rights is foundational,” added Sister Susan. “We look forward to the upcoming annual meeting and remain hopeful that shareholders will vote for increased accountability and the protection of our neighbors’ fundamental rights.”
The Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace, founded in 1884 in Nottingham, England by Mother Francis Clare (Margaret Anna Cusack), is an international community built on a rich heritage of promoting social justice as a way to peace. Sisters and associates minister in education, health care, religious education, parish ministry, social justice, spiritual direction and peace ministry in the United Kingdom and United States. For more information, visit the Congregation website at www.csjp.org
Patty Macias
Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace
+1 201-608-5401
email us here
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