Alstom SA

Stock Symbols
PAR
:
ALO
company headquarters
France
ISSUES

A French company operating in the railway sector. It participated in the construction of the Jerusalem Light Rail and Tel Aviv–Jerusalem railway, both of which cut through the occupied Palestinian territory.

Through its wholly owned subsidiaries, Citadis Israel Ltd and Bombardier Transportation Ltd, Alstom has participated in the construction of several Israeli railway projects that cut through occupied Palestinian land, according to Who Profits.

As part of the CityPass Group consortium, Alstrom—along with four other companies—constructed, maintained, and operated the Jerusalem Light Rail, which crosses into the occupied West Bank, connecting illegal Israeli settlements in occupied East Jerusalem with the western part of the city. Despite selling its holdings in CityPass Group, Alstom retains its holdings in the railway's contractor company, EPC, and retains full ownership of Citadis, which conducts the project's maintenance work.

Bombardier Transportation, acquired from Canadian company Bombardier Inc by Alstom in 2021, supplies cars and engines to the Tel Aviv–Jerusalem railway, which also crosses into the occupied West Bank and is intended for use only by Israelis.

Economic Activism Highlights
  • In July 2021, Norway's largest pension fund KLP announced that it would divest assets in 16 companies that "contribute[d] to violations of human rights in war and conflict situations through their affiliation with the Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank." The companies that KLP named include Alstom, Altice Europe, Ashtrom, Bank Hapoalim, Bank Leumi, Bank Mizrahi Tefahot, Bezeq, Cellcom, Delek, Electra, Energix Renewable Energies, First Interntional Bank of Israel, Israel Discount Bank, Motorola, Partner, and Paz Oil Company. KLP held investments totaling approximately $31.8 million in the companies at the time of its decision.
  • In November 2020, San Francsico State University's student government passed a resolution calling for the university to pull out of investments in companies that do business in Israeli settlements, referencing the 112 companies linked to the illegal settlements in Palestine as listed by the United Nations.
  • In October 2020, Fresno State University’s student government voted in favor of a divestment resolution calling for the university to divest from the 112 companies linked to the illegal settlements in Palestine, as listed by the United Nations.
  • On June 12, 2017, Swedish Bank SEB added Alstom in its no-buy-list. The bank declared that it is removing from all its funds forty companies "that violate international standards for the environment, corruption, human rights and labor law." The bank had previously stopped investing in companies involved in nuclear programs and in coal production.

Several banks and pension funds in Europe have ended their relationships with Alstom SA due to its role in building the Jerusalem light rail train that cuts through occupied Palestinian land.

  • In 2012, major Swedish pension funds AP1-4 began engaging with Alstom over its involvement with “the trains...that link western Jerusalem with the settlements...in the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territory.”
  • In 2012, Arizona State University’s student council voted unanimously to divest from Alstom, citing its complicity in “human rights abuses in the occupied Palestinian territories.”
  • In 2011, Nordea Bank began engaging with Alstom over its involvement in the Palestinian territories.
  • In 2010, Dutch pension giant PFZW opened a dialogue with Alstom about “human rights issues.”
  • In 2009, Swedish national pension fund AP7 and Dutch ASN Bank excluded Alstom due to its “involvement in Israel’s occupation of Palestinian land.”
  • Following a campaign launched by activists in 2009 to persuade Saudi Arabia to end its dealings with Alstom, the company lost a bid worth almost $10 billion to build a railway in the kingdom.
  • Dutch Triodos Bank announced in 2008 that they exclude “companies that contribute to the continuation of occupation, like Alstom.”
Unless specified otherwise, the information in this page is valid as of
8 August 2022