HSBC Specialist Investments Ltd.

HSBC Specialist Investments Ltd. is a division within the HSBC group that provides tailored investment services and asset management solutions. It forms part of HSBC’s broader financial and wealth management offerings, serving clients with specialized investment strategies.

CCI Score

-10.09

0.01% April 16

Latest Event

HSBC's Asia Pivot Raises Human Rights Concerns

HSBC admitted that its strategic shift to Asia, particularly its alignment with Beijing during the Hong Kong crackdown, poses a risk to human rights. This move has drawn criticism from MPs, who accuse the bank of complicity in human rights abuses in China and Hong Kong.

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ENABLER

HSBC Specialist Investments Ltd. is currently rated as an Enabler.

-10 to -19 CCI Score

Companies in this segment facilitate authoritarian practices while claiming neutrality. They provide resources or support that indirectly bolster oppressive regimes, thereby undermining democratic accountability without overtly endorsing the regime.

Latest Events

FEB

25

2023

HSBC's Asia Pivot Raises Human Rights Concerns
-30.44

HSBC admitted that its strategic shift to Asia, particularly its alignment with Beijing during the Hong Kong crackdown, poses a risk to human rights. This move has drawn criticism from MPs, who accuse the bank of complicity in human rights abuses in China and Hong Kong.
-40

Public and Political Behavior

March 29

HSBC's pivot to Asia included aligning with Beijing’s policies amid a crackdown in Hong Kong. This political behavior is seen as supportive of authoritarian measures, risking civil liberties and drawing condemnation from MPs.

HSBC admits putting human rights at risk in China pivot - The Telegraph
-35

Labor Relations and Human Rights Practices

March 29

The bank’s acknowledged risk to human rights through its Asia pivot signals a serious ethical lapse in its business practices. This move potentially undermines protections for workers and marginalized communities by prioritizing strategic gains over ethical standards.

HSBC admits putting human rights at risk in China pivot - The Telegraph
FEB

22

2022

HSBC Publishes Comprehensive Human Rights Statement
58.35

On 22 February 2022, HSBC released its Human Rights Statement outlining its commitment to uphold internationally recognized human rights standards. The document details HSBC's policies on protecting employee rights, ensuring supplier compliance, and integrating human rights considerations into investment practices, all aligned with UN Global Compact principles and other international frameworks.
+80

Labor Relations and Human Rights Practices

March 29

HSBC's Human Rights Statement outlines robust policies and training protocols to protect labor rights, prevent discrimination, and uphold fundamental human rights across its operations and supply chains. This commitment demonstrates an ethical business practice aimed at reducing human rights risks and countering authoritarian business behaviors.

PDF HSBC Human Rights Statement
JAN

17

2022

HSBC Investment in XPCC-Linked Firm Fuels Human Rights Concerns
-58.18

HSBC Specialist Investments Ltd. reportedly purchased GBP £2.2 million worth of shares in Xinjiang Tianye, a plastics manufacturer owned by the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (XPCC). The XPCC has been linked to forced labour, torture, and other human rights abuses in the Uyghur region. These investments have prompted calls from IPAC parliamentarians across Europe, the UK, Australia, India, and Canada to divest from and block such financing.
-85

Business Practices and Ethical Responsibility

March 29

HSBC's decision to invest in Xinjiang Tianye, a firm owned by the XPCC, demonstrates a disregard for ethical responsibilities by channeling funds into an entity linked to forced labour and other severe human rights abuses. This investment supports an authoritarian economic structure that undermines worker rights and ethical business practices.

IPAC Parliamentarians Call for Crackdown on HSBC Financing of Uyghur Abuses
-75

Economic and Structural Influence

March 29

By investing in a company owned by the state-backed XPCC, HSBC is enabling an economic structure that sustains systematic human rights abuses. This financial engagement lends legitimacy and support to authoritarian practices, undermining global efforts to safeguard human rights and combat forced labour.

IPAC Parliamentarians Call for Crackdown on HSBC Financing of Uyghur Abuses