We don’t invest in companies with significant exposure* to the fossil fuel, alcohol, tobacco, gambling, adult entertainment, civilian firearms, military weapons, and nuclear power industries. It’s the right thing to do, and we believe it will be good for long term investment returns too %)
For more information, please refer to our Responsible Investment Policy.
Companies that earn significant revenue* from production of fossil fuels (thermal coal, oil, or gas), or electricity generation from fossil fuels, or from providing supporting products or services to fossil fuel producers.
Companies that earn significant revenue* from manufacturing or distribution and / or retail sale of alcoholic beverages, or supplying alcohol-related products / services to manufacturers.
All companies that earn significant revenue* from the manufacturing of tobacco products, involvement in distribution and/or retail sale of tobacco products, or supplying tobacco related products or services to manufacturers.
Companies that earn significant revenue* from owning or operating a gambling establishment, the manufacture of specialised equipment for gambling, or providing supporting products / services to gambling operations.
All companies that earn revenue from the production, distribution and sale of assault weapons or small arms, including associated components, to civilian customers.
Companies that earn significant revenue* from producing adult entertainment, owning / operating adult entertainment establishments, or distributing adult entertainment materials.
Companies that earn significant revenue* from the manufacturing of military weapons systems, components of these weapons, or tailor-made components of these weapons. All companies that have any involvement in controversial core weapon systems or associated components and services are excluded.
Companies that generate significant revenue* from the production of nuclear power.
Principles 1 and 2: – Businesses should support human rights, and not be complicit with human rights abuses.
Principles 3, 4, 5 and 6: Businesses should uphold freedom of labour association, recognise the right to collective bargaining, and work to eliminate employment and occupation discrimination, forced labour, and child labour.
Principles 7, 8 and 9: Businesses should promote greater environmental responsibility, and encourage development of environmentally friendly technologies.
Principle 10: Businesses should work against corruption in all its forms, including extortion and bribery.
* Industry classifications and revenue thresholds used for ethical investment screening by Simplicity and our third-party investment managers are applied in accordance with our Responsible Investment Policy. Ethical investment screening for our international investments is implemented via the Bloomberg DM Ex NZ ESG Screened Index Methodology and the Bloomberg MSCI Global Aggregate Sustainability Select SRI Float Adjusted Index, which meet or exceed our policy requirements.