Action 7: Join the Boycott
What does that mean?
Over 450 companies have ceased their operations in Russia in good faith efforts to: abide by international law; avoid complicity in Russian war crimes; stoke discontent among everyday Russians who are denied access to free and independent news coverage of the war in Ukraine; place public pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin; and preserve their brands in the process.
Many companies, however, have not joined the boycott and continue to do business in and with Russia. Please:
Publicly thank these companies that have joined ranks to divest from Russia.Your public support validates their actions and supports their brands. Let’s make doing the right thing worth their while.
Publicly ask these remaining companies to make a clean break with Russian markets and to make their commitment public.
Boycott these remaining companies until they divest. Post your commitments publicly to social media, tagging the companies and their leaders directly. Share, reshare, and encourage others to do the same.
Why should I participate?
It works. Historically, people of faith and conscience have used boycotts on numerous occasions as a form of nonviolent protest that gets results.
It’s peaceful. It is one of few peaceful alternatives to broadening military intervention (a growing war).
Everyone has a role to play. It is one of few direct actions in which every person worldwide can participate.
It’s eye-opening. Russian residents do not have freedom of expression or an independent press. They receive a skewed version of reality from their government. Divesting from Russia makes tangible to everyday Russians the negative consequences of their leader’s actions, that otherwise are difficult to accurately ascertain within Russia itself. Without having to change the Russian state’s media narrative, it further sours public opinion against Putin’s war and forces him to deal with both failure in Ukraine and failure in the eyes of the public.
It’s a small price to pay. For most companies, the impact of divestment in Russia is very small as a percentage of their overall market share, income, revenue, profits, and shareholders. Collectively, multiple companies jointly divesting from Russia has a massive impact on the Russian economy, including funding for Putin’s war in Ukraine. It is a small price to pay for individual companies to end a senseless humanitarian crisis and incalculable loss of life.
How?
Act strategically, prolifically, and publicly
Recognize that some businesses have more options than others, but that all businesses operating in concert will have the most impact. Franchises, for example, don’t actually own the brick-and-mortar businesses located in Russia that bear their brand name.
Honor a business’s stated purpose. Name the contradiction(s) between that company’s brand, mission, or motto and their decision to continue doing business with Russia.
If you are a current customer of a business, tell them so.
State your request and the consequences to the company of their inaction.
Share widely with others, encouraging them to do the same.
Sample Social Media Posts
Source credit: Hannah Mansfield
@IntlPaperCo Aren’t you still doing business in Russia?
“We do the right thing, in the right ways, for the right reasons, all the time.”
Really? Stop doing business in Russia or find a new slogan.
#WagePeace #PeaceOverProfits #LeaveRussia #BoycottRussia #BoycottIntlPaperCo
@BoschGlobal
“Bosch is committed to making our customers’ lives safer, more efficient and more comfortable through the innovations and services we supply.”
Are you really making Ukrainians “safer” by continuing to do business in Russia?
#WagePeace #PeaceOverProfits #LeaveRussia #BoycottRussia #BoycottBosch
@dunkindonuts Currently Russia is still running on Dunkin… What’s up with that?
#WagePeace #PeaceOverProfits #LeaveRussia #BoycottRussia
@SUBWAY Why are folks in Russia still eating fresh?
#WagePeace #PeaceOverProfits #LeaveRussia #BoycottRussia #BoycottDunkin
@BurgerKing If I had it “my way,” you’d stop doing business in Russia.
#WagePeace #PeaceOverProfits #LeaveRussia #BoycottRussia #BoycottBurgerKing
@[all of the above] I am no longer patronizing any company that continues to do business in Russia and neither should you.
Additional Tags
#WagePeace
#PeaceOverProfits
#EnemyLove
#LoveYourEnemies
#PrayForThoseWhoPersecuteYou
#WarCrimes
#WarIsACrime
#Hague
#ICJ
#InternationalCourtOfJustice
#TruthAndReconciliation
#SwordsIntoPloughshares
#SwordsIntoPlowShares
#SchwerterZuPflugscharen
#SpearsIntoPruningHooks
#Lent2022
#Isaiah58
#TrueFasting
#мир (The word for peace is the same in both Ukrainian and Russian)