NEW YORK, March 30, 2026, 12:04 EDT
On Monday, ADL and JLens called on GE Aerospace shareholders to reject Proposal 7—a shareholder measure set for a vote at the jet-engine maker’s May 5 annual meeting that would trigger an independent review of GE’s evaluation of human-rights risks linked to customers’ use of its defense products. GE’s board has already urged investors to vote no. ADL
GE is stepping up defense output just as the battle heats up. Earlier this month, the company announced plans to pump another $1 billion into its U.S. manufacturing footprint for 2026, breaking out more than $275 million earmarked for defense engine facilities. Chief Executive Larry Culp argued that U.S. aerospace dominance depends on “sustained investment” across people, facilities and tech. GE Aerospace
Presbyterian Foundation put forward Proposal 7, calling for GE to hire an independent third party to review its due-diligence methods. The report would examine how GE evaluates whether its defense-related products might be linked to human-rights abuses or violations of international humanitarian law—laws of war—in regions facing conflict or considered high-risk. SEC
GE, in its proxy, argued that producing the report wouldn’t provide shareholders with much value and would be an inefficient use of resources. According to the board, U.S. export controls and other trade regulations already apply to defense sales, while GE maintains trade-compliance, sanctions, and human-rights programs it considers on par with comparable companies. SEC
Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the ADL, labeled Proposal 7 as “fundamentally discriminatory.” Ari Hoffnung, managing director at JLens, argued the measure injected “a political agenda into the boardroom.” Both organizations maintain that decisions on foreign military sales depend on U.S. government rules and export controls—not just GE. ADL
The supporting statement pushes back, urging that investors deserve greater detail. GE, it notes, has provided products to militaries facing allegations of misconduct—citing systems supplied to the Israeli Defense Forces as one example. According to the statement, improved disclosure would let the company better gauge and mitigate risks, while bringing its practices closer to peers. SEC
This isn’t just another governance vote. GE reported $10.6 billion in revenue from its Defense & Propulsion Technologies arm for 2025, and total shareholder return last year was 86%. The stock slid $6.32 in midday action Monday, sitting at $276.49. SEC
At this point, the main question isn’t just if Proposal 7 goes down, but how big a showing it makes. If support comes in higher than what GE has penciled in, the company may be looking at ongoing pressure through next year’s proxy fights. The landscape is already shifting after the SEC’s move in November to stop issuing detailed responses to most no-action requests for sidelining shareholder proposals. SEC
GE plans to hold its annual meeting virtually on May 5 at 10:00 a.m. Eastern. On the agenda: shareholders will take up Proposal 7, director elections, executive compensation, and several other items listed in the 2026 proxy. GE Aerospace
