Companies build nuclear weapons and their key components. Investors provide the capital the nuclear weapons industry needs to get and keep nuclear weapon related contracts.
But investors are looking at more than just the bottom line, and what the nuclear weapons industry builds is designed to cause mass indiscriminate harm, violate human rights, and contaminate the environment.
Every investment is a choice.
Either to support the production of nuclear weapons, or to divest and adopt policies excluding the nuclear weapon industry.
In January 2021, the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons went into force which forbids all activities related to nuclear weapons: manufacturing, developing, testing, and stockpiling, as well as any assistance with those activities. Now banks, pension funds and asset managers are committing to the norm against nuclear weapons- using the following reasons to end ties to the nuclear weapons industry:
The Treaty Controversial Weapons
Material & Reputational Risks Religious Concerns
UN Guiding Principles UN Principles for Responsible Investment
Sign up to receive more information and tailored ways to take action from ICAN's divestment team.
There are different ways institutions might choose to exert their financial influence over the nuclear weapon industry.
Investment policy - Policies to keep the nuclear weapons industry out of your portfolio
Exclusion- Arguments for why an exclusion policy is a good move for your institution.
Active Engagement- Not ready to exclude yet? Then engage to change company behavior.
Investors or investor groups can also sign onto the Nuclear Weapons Free Future Finance Initiative.
These financial institutions and investors support the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons through statements, policies and more. Learn how they support the treaty below.
Do you want to help cut off the financial flow to the companies building nuclear weapons?
Here are some ways to take action:
