[NYTr] Publisher Reed Elsevier to quit arms exhibitions after
 
Date: Sun, 3 Jun 2007 15:57:06 -0400


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The Times (of London?) - June 2, 2007

Reed Elsevier to quit arms exhibitions after ethical campaign

by Christine Buckley

Reed Elsevier, the publisher and exhibitions group, ended its
involvement in the arms trade yesterday after a sustained campaign from
doctors, healthcare groups, authors and pacifist organisations.

The group, which owns the medical journal The Lancet, had faced
boycotts and continued protests from authors, academics and medical
professionals. They said that the groups role in organising arms fairs
undermined The Lancets attempts to improve health. Reed Elseviers
biggest arms fair is the Defence Systems and Equipment International,
which is held every two years at Londons Excel arena. The group will
stage the next show in September but will quit the defence exhibitions
sector by the second half of this year.

The pressure on Reed Elsevier began seriously two years ago when
editors of The Lancet urged the company to divest itself of all
business interests that threaten human, and especially civilian, health
and wellbeing.

Last year 13 authors, including Ian McEwan, A. S. Byatt and Nick
Hornby, also called on the company to quit the arms trade market.

Sir Crispin Davis, chief executive, said: Our defence shows are quality
businesses, which have performed well in recent years. Nonetheless, it
has become increasingly clear that growing numbers of important
customers and authors have very real concerns about our involvement in
the defence exhibitions business.

We have listened closely to these concerns and this has led us to
conclude that the defence shows are no longer compatible with Reed
Elseviers position as a leading publisher of scientific, medical, legal
and business content.

Reed Elsevier has also come under pressure from some investors over its
arms involvement. In February the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust sold
its shares worth #2 million in the business because of its continued
work in defence exhibitions. The move followed F&C Managements decision
to remove Reed Elsevier from its list of approved ethical investments.

The Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT) has also targeted the publishing
group. Yesterday it said: CAAT applauds the board of Reed Elsevier for
recognising the concerns of its stakeholders. The decision shows that
the arms trade is an abhorrent activity and that it has no place within
a reputable business.

Reed Elsevier said that its defence exhibitions made up about 0.5 per
cent of its turnover, or #20-#25 million. Medical and science
publications, however, account for about 14 per cent, or as much as
#700 million.

       
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