FDD
Morningstar Blacklist May Violate State Anti-BDS Laws
Richard Goldberg
April 24, 2023

The Jewish News Syndicate last week reported that Sustainalytics — the environmental, social, governance (ESG) ratings arm of Morningstar, Inc. — imposes negative “controversy” ratings on “26 companies doing business in Israel-controlled territory.” This blacklisting of companies that operate in parts of Jerusalem, the West Bank, or the Golan Heights may violate several U.S. state laws related to boycotts of Israel-based companies. Much like the blacklist of companies published by the United Nations Human Rights Council in 2020, Morningstar’s ratings use anti-Israel assumptions and sources to convince investors that Israel-connected companies are at risk of violating international human rights standards simply because of where they operate. READ MORE