OSLO, March 24 Reuters Norway39;s 1.3 trillion wealth fund, one of the world39;s largest investors, will vote in favour of a shareholder motion calling on Starbucks to report on how it respects labour rights, the fund39;s manager said on Thursday.

The Norwegian fund owns 1.05 of Starbucks39; shares, worth 1.2 billion at the end of 2022, according to fund data. It is the company39;s tenthlargest shareholder, according to Refinitiv Eikon. Starbucks is due to hold its annual meeting on Thursday.

Over the years, CEO Howard Schultz helped Starbucks build a reputation as a progressive employer, offering higher salaries and more benefits including company stock and health insurance than other restaurant chains.

But the company39;s response to a growing union campaign, as well some of Schultz39;s public comments, have been described by some critics, including some shareholders, as overly aggressive.

Norges Bank Investment Management NBIM, which operates the Norwegian wealth fund, said it would vote in favour of commissioning a thirdparty assessment of Starbucks39; commitment to freedom of association and collective bargaining rights.

In a separate opinion piece published on Thursday, NBIM39;s Chief Governance and Compliance Officer, Carine Smith Ihenacho, and Caroline Eriksen, a senior fund official, said NBIM had grown concerned over the issue.

Freedom of association and the right to collective wage bargaining are fundamental employee rights and human rights, they…