Apple and Prudential under fire from very different activists but both stories show why investors must wake up

Campaigners from SumOfUs have sponsored a motion calling on Apple to make human rights disclosures in wake of controversy over China, while Pru is under attack from a hedge fund

Apple holds its AGM today when a vote will be taken on a motion sponsored by campaigning group SumOfUs (AFP)

Activist investors of very different stripes are causing trouble for Apple and Prudential.

The former faces a motion sponsored by SumOfUs, a campaigning group, which aims to hold big companies accountable for what they do.

It calls on Apple to make new human rights commitments. These would include spelling out how it will respond to demands for censorship from governments and other actors.