Absurdity: Warwick SU apparently boycotts 300 companies, but List is nonsensical & not publicly available
Warwick SU currently boycotts 300 companies - from this country and around the world. (so it seems...)
Fortunately, Societies and Sports Club do not have to have to follow the SU Boycotts.
But in case you are wondering, Warwick SU officially 'boycotts arms companies'. Oh, so all of them, or some of them? Don't hold your breath trying to find out...
Accordingly to the Union's policy, 'an arms company [is] defined as any company which produces goods or provides services specifically for military purposes. The SIPRI (Stockholm International Peace Research Institute) provide[s] a list for guidance'.
In line with the Union's usual level of competence, the link to the SIPRI list in the SU's Policy Motion does not actually work (link).
The most recent edition of the SIPRI 'Top 100' List that the Eye could find, dates from 2015. Oddly, it includes the prestigious, UK power systems company, Rolls Royce.
Rolls Royce designs and manufactures propulsion systems (AKA engines, mostly passenger aircraft engines); it provides products and services in the marine, nuclear, power systems, civil, and defence aerospace sector, i.e. NOT 'specifically for military purposes'.
The SU might want to go through their Boycott 'List' and work out whether the list (including companies like Rolls Royce) is in line with their own definition of 'an arms company' in the Policy document? The answer is, it isn't. And, here's why:
What should the 27% of Warwick students from overseas (non-EU) do? If one is an overseas student, who is devoutly follows Warwick SU policy, are you not supposed to fly here, by boycotting any aircraft with a Rolls Royce engine?
If so, can any of the SU Sabbatical Officers name a reputable airline that doesn't use Rolls Royce engines for their aircraft? Alternativelt, the Boycott List might actually require some changes, to be plausible or consistent... *it's not happening any time soon*
Mystery ahead:
Apart from arms, the Union also 'boycott fossil fuel companies'.
This time, the Policy states, 'to boycott fossil fuel companies as defined by fossil fuel producing, refining and distributing companies in The Carbon Underground 200'...
We were not sure which of our following findings were worse: the SU directing students to boycott companies that allows our students to travel here and study at Warwick, OR boycotting a list of companies, which can not be found by students?
The Eye found that the full list of 200 companies is ONLY available for 'subscribing customers' of the Fossil Free Indexes (FFI) - which the Eye and presumably the vastly majority of Warwick's 24,000 students are not!
Apparently, the list is provided at no charge for 'non-profit organisations', the Eye wonders if our non-profit Warwick SU actually possess the full list of these mysterious 200 companies.
If so, will students ever find out which of the 200 companies are actually boycotted by the SU?
After more digging, Fossil Free Indexes has kindly provided a much shorter list of 20 of the 200 companies from the Carbon Underground 200 for public consumption. These include CoalIndia, PetroChina, and Gazprom.
You may notice that Gazprom was also sanctioned by the EU and USA. Perhaps WarwickSU was following in some great footsteps; alternatively, the Union has absolutely no idea about which boycotted companies are currently boycotted...
To conclude, if there was any fear that the Student Union was boycotting too many companies, it's more like Schroedinger's Union. They have managed to boycott 300 companies, whilst simultaneously not in possession of the latest SIPRI or the Carbon Underground 200 Boycott Lists, at all!
P.s. thought exercise: how many of the 300 purportedly boycotted companies, do you think all our current Sabbs can name in total?
Don't hold back, ask the Sabbs during Sabb Officers' Questions at the next televised All Student Meeting.
By Warwick Eye
Sources:
Warwick SU boycotts Arms Companies (link)
SIPRI List of Top 100 Arms Companies (link)
Warwick SU boycotts Fossil Fuel Companies (link)
The Carbon Underground 200 - List of 200 Fossil Fuel Companies (link)
Gazprom Sanctioned - BBC (link)
Fortunately, Societies and Sports Club do not have to have to follow the SU Boycotts.
But in case you are wondering, Warwick SU officially 'boycotts arms companies'. Oh, so all of them, or some of them? Don't hold your breath trying to find out...
Accordingly to the Union's policy, 'an arms company [is] defined as any company which produces goods or provides services specifically for military purposes. The SIPRI (Stockholm International Peace Research Institute) provide[s] a list for guidance'.
In line with the Union's usual level of competence, the link to the SIPRI list in the SU's Policy Motion does not actually work (link).
 |
| A turbine engine that Rolls Royce manufactures (image from Rolls Royce) |
The most recent edition of the SIPRI 'Top 100' List that the Eye could find, dates from 2015. Oddly, it includes the prestigious, UK power systems company, Rolls Royce.
Rolls Royce designs and manufactures propulsion systems (AKA engines, mostly passenger aircraft engines); it provides products and services in the marine, nuclear, power systems, civil, and defence aerospace sector, i.e. NOT 'specifically for military purposes'.
The SU might want to go through their Boycott 'List' and work out whether the list (including companies like Rolls Royce) is in line with their own definition of 'an arms company' in the Policy document? The answer is, it isn't. And, here's why:
What should the 27% of Warwick students from overseas (non-EU) do? If one is an overseas student, who is devoutly follows Warwick SU policy, are you not supposed to fly here, by boycotting any aircraft with a Rolls Royce engine?
 |
| Warwick SU officially boycotts Rolls Royce, so are they advising Warwick Students to fly on aircraft that don't use Rolls Royce engines? Fine, name one. |
If so, can any of the SU Sabbatical Officers name a reputable airline that doesn't use Rolls Royce engines for their aircraft? Alternativelt, the Boycott List might actually require some changes, to be plausible or consistent... *it's not happening any time soon*
Mystery ahead:
Apart from arms, the Union also 'boycott fossil fuel companies'.
This time, the Policy states, 'to boycott fossil fuel companies as defined by fossil fuel producing, refining and distributing companies in The Carbon Underground 200'...
We were not sure which of our following findings were worse: the SU directing students to boycott companies that allows our students to travel here and study at Warwick, OR boycotting a list of companies, which can not be found by students?
The Eye found that the full list of 200 companies is ONLY available for 'subscribing customers' of the Fossil Free Indexes (FFI) - which the Eye and presumably the vastly majority of Warwick's 24,000 students are not!
Apparently, the list is provided at no charge for 'non-profit organisations', the Eye wonders if our non-profit Warwick SU actually possess the full list of these mysterious 200 companies.
If so, will students ever find out which of the 200 companies are actually boycotted by the SU?
After more digging, Fossil Free Indexes has kindly provided a much shorter list of 20 of the 200 companies from the Carbon Underground 200 for public consumption. These include CoalIndia, PetroChina, and Gazprom.
You may notice that Gazprom was also sanctioned by the EU and USA. Perhaps WarwickSU was following in some great footsteps; alternatively, the Union has absolutely no idea about which boycotted companies are currently boycotted...
To conclude, if there was any fear that the Student Union was boycotting too many companies, it's more like Schroedinger's Union. They have managed to boycott 300 companies, whilst simultaneously not in possession of the latest SIPRI or the Carbon Underground 200 Boycott Lists, at all!
 |
| Warwick's Schroedinger's Union currently boycotts 300 companies, but simultaneously their Boycott List appears not to be found! |
P.s. thought exercise: how many of the 300 purportedly boycotted companies, do you think all our current Sabbs can name in total?
Don't hold back, ask the Sabbs during Sabb Officers' Questions at the next televised All Student Meeting.
By Warwick Eye
Sources:
Warwick SU boycotts Arms Companies (link)
SIPRI List of Top 100 Arms Companies (link)
Warwick SU boycotts Fossil Fuel Companies (link)
The Carbon Underground 200 - List of 200 Fossil Fuel Companies (link)
Gazprom Sanctioned - BBC (link)
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