February 17, 2011
By Staff Reporter
Doherty, who was a scholarship student at Hofstra University, was active in Democratic Party campaigns from a young age. He campaigned for George McGovern and against the Vietnam War, though he was too young to be drafted. He joined the Pension Policy Division of the New York City Comptroller’s Office in the 1980s, shortly before the MacBride Principles were devised. The MacBride Principles were inspired by the Sullivan Principles, which concerned investment in South Africa.
The area of corporate responsibility involves much more than fair employment practices. In 2008, for instance, the Pension Policy Division submitted shareholder proposals to 113 companies on 14 social and environmental issues and eight corporate governance/executive compensation issues.
Doherty has worked for Comptrollers Harrison J. Goldin, Elizabeth Holtzman, Alan Hevesi and William Thompson.
“I’ve been very happy that I’ve been able to work with four very committed people,” he said.
In terms of success, Doherty and the comptroller’s office can point as an example to Short Brothers in Belfast, which has seen a threefold increase in the number of Catholics working there since the 1980s, and is now close to reflecting the city’s religious demographics.
Since 1989, the comptroller’s office has reached agreement with scores of U.S. and Canadian companies on their investment policies in Northern Ireland. Now Babylon, Long Island resident Doherty has spoken all over the world on the New York City Comptroller Office’s policies with regard to corporate responsibility.
“It’s an exciting and enjoyable job,” he said.