Eight Sleep: A Good Night's Sleep Shouldn't Come From Genocide
Matteo Franceschetti, CEO, Eight Sleep
Sudan is in the middle of a massive civil war and genocide. It isexperiencing one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world.
The war between the Sudanense Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has devastated the country. Civilians have faced mass displacement, famine, and large-scale atrocities. In Darfur, reports of ethnic violence have raised fears of genocide. Experts agree that cutting off funding to the militant groups will end the war.
Most of RSF support comes from the United Arab Emirates (UAE). They supply money, weapons and other forms of support. This must end. At the same time, the UAE is investing heavily in global sports sponsorships and corporate partnerships to improve its international reputation.
When companies, such as Eight Sleep, partner with the UAE Team Emirates XRG, they risk associating their brand and image with the UAE-supported genocide in Sudan. Consumers increasingly expect companies to uphold basic human rights standards in their business relationships.
Eight Sleep has a choice: stand on the side of human rights or allow its brand to be used to normalize a government fueling catastrophic violence.
Ending this partnership would send a powerful message that corporations must not ignore atrocities for the sake of marketing opportunities.
Sponsored by
To:
Matteo Franceschetti, CEO, Eight Sleep
From:
[Your Name]
We call on Eight Sleep to immediately end its partnership with UAE Team Emirates XRG.
The cycling team is backed by entities connected to the government of the United Arab Emirates. At the same time, the UAE has been widely accused by international observers, journalists, and human rights organizations of providing support to Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the militia responsible for some of the worst atrocities in the ongoing war in Sudan.
The conflict in Sudan has produced one of the world’s largest humanitarian catastrophes. Millions of civilians have been displaced, and mass atrocities, including ethnic violence and mass killings, have been reported in Darfur and other regions. This genocide must end.
Corporate partnerships should not sanitize the reputation of governments accused of enabling atrocities.
By partnering with UAE Team Emirates XRG, Eight Sleep improves the UAE's reputation while that government funds genocide.
We therefore call on Eight Sleep to:
* Immediately cancel its partnership with UAE Team Emirates XRG.
* Commit to human rights due diligence aligned with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
* Ensure that future partnerships do not help legitimize governments linked to mass atrocities or war crimes.
Companies that claim to improve human wellbeing should not partner with institutions tied to governments accused of fueling catastrophic human suffering.
Eight Sleep must end this partnership now.