Zevin Asset Management believes that Alphabet Inc.'s governance of customer and user data represents a material and underappreciated risk to investors, to the company's long-term reputation, and to the broader public interest. We have taken two coordinated steps to push for greater accountability: a formal shareholder proposal submitted for the Annual Meeting, and a direct engagement letter sent to Alphabet's Board of Directors as part of a broader investor coalition. What follows describes each action and the concerns that motivate them.
Home Depot's Data Privacy & Immigration Enforcement Risk
Our shareholder proposal asks Home Depot to report on data privacy risks associated with its use of Flock Safety, a surveillance vendor whose network has been repeatedly accessed by federal immigration enforcement through local police intermediaries.
Specifically, the proposal focuses on how the company identifies, measures, and mitigates risks related to potential access or use of that data by third parties, including law enforcement agencies beyond its direct control.
Q1 2026 Market Outlook
The first few months of 2026 have been bumpy for global markets, driven by a complicated mix of global tensions and economic news. Adding to this are concerns about the disruptive, and in some cases existential impact of artificial intelligence on certain business models. Specifically, the introduction of new AI driven tools has led to a material decline in the stocks of many established software companies.
Q1 2026 Impact Update
Our Q1 2026 Impact Update covers a quarter defined by regulatory rollback and active ownership. We examine the SEC's quiet dismantling of corporate disclosure requirements, our ongoing shareholder engagements with Home Depot and Microsoft on data privacy and human rights, and three investor sign-on letters touching gender equity, platform worker rights, and due process. As regulatory oversight recedes, our job — asking hard questions and staying in the room — becomes more important, not less.
Charitable Planning
While many people tend to concentrate their charitable giving during the last few months of the calendar year, there are reasons for some clients to prioritize giving early this year. The new federal tax law enacted in July 2025, often referred to by its acronym OBBBA, takes effect this year and creates new thresholds and limits for the tax deductibility of charitable gifts for taxpayers who itemize deductions and a new opportunity for those who do not itemize. In addition, a third consecutive year of double-digit global stock market returns has multiplied unrealized gains on some large holdings in client portfolios, which presents an opportunity to gift highly appreciated shares to donor advised funds or directly to charities. Meanwhile, major cuts to federal safety-net and social-welfare programs, along with aggressive actions by federal immigration enforcement agents, have harmed vulnerable and disadvantaged communities across the country and strained the ability of frontline social-service organizations to meet the needs of these communities, making giving generously even more timely. By frontloading your 2026 charitable giving, you can maximize your immediate social impact while significantly optimizing your tax efficiency.