Vegan Pensions, the Next Ethical Frontier
From All-Creatures.org Animal Rights/Vegan Activist Strategies Articles Archive

FROM Jordi Casamitjana, JaneUnchained.com
May 2021

The reality is that there is no difference between the returns in ethical funds and mainstream funds. The average ethical fund will do the same as the average non-ethical fund. But the perception is that being good will come at a premium. Because in almost every other aspect of your life (buying fair trade, buying vegan products) you are used to paying a premium.

If we all tell our pension providers/employers that we want vegan pensions, we will indeed revolutionize the pension industry. We will cut significantly the funds going to animal exploitation. Perhaps more than by just buying plant-based foods in a supermarket. Lots to win, and very little to lose. 


Jordi Casamitjana enacting the moment he found out about the investments of his pension fund. @Jordi Casamitjana

In 2020, I won a lawsuit that led an employment judge to rule that ethical veganism is a protected class in Great Britain. A week later, I read this headline on a leading financial website called the FT Adviser: Landmark vegan case threatens to disrupt pensions industry. It seems that my victory opened the door for the spread of the long-awaited vegan pension. Finally, vegans can enjoy their retirement plans knowing that their money does not come from exploiting animals.

My case started when an animal protection organization fired me for having raised concerns about their pension fund. I considered the fund unethical for a vegan like me as it invested in pharmaceutical companies that test on animals. I knew that there were ethical funds available from the organization’s pension provider. Such funds, although not necessarily completely vegan, were vegan friendlier, as they avoided investments such as pharmaceuticals. Because of my complaint and ultimate legal victory, my former employer has now changed its default pension fund to one of these....

 

Please read the ENTIRE ARTICLE HERE (PDF) 

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