The DEA Healthy Investment Special Interest Group (Formerly the Divestment SiG) seeks opportunities to accelerate Australia’s transition to a zero carbon economy. We are a diverse group of DEA members from all corners of Australia, with a shared interest in the power of money, finance and investment. Our activities support the green finance transition in various ways.
Divestment vs Responsible Ownership:
Since 2013 DEA has promoted divestment from fossil fuels from our personal banking,investments and superannuation. In the early years we participated in bank divestment actions, and successfully campaigned with other groups to get Australian’s health insurance companies to divest. We have engaged with banks and large superannuation funds urging them to reduce exposure to fossil fuels. Many have made progress, but it has become clear that divestment alone will not facilitate a change of business model for fossil fuel companies. Pressure to change needs to be brought to bear on companies from within by their shareholders. This is known as responsible ownership, and at this point in the transition, it is vital.
Superannuation fund engagement:
Our SiG has an established and ongoing engagement with Australia’s largest health industry superannuation funds. Some have favoured divestment from fossil fuel companies, others continue to invest in those companies so they can engage and influence them. For example HESTA made the strategic decision to continue to hold shares in high emitting companies in order to influence them and be able to vote at company AGMs. This strategy helped stop the proposed AGL demerger, which would have been deleterious for AGL’s (and Australia’s) low carbon transition. DEA continues to push our health super funds to explore what responsible ownership looks like in a rapidly heating world, and how funds can best use their influence.
University engagement:
Our students, academic members and local SiG groups continue to engage with their universities in relation to their investments.
Shareholder activism:
DEA members participate in shareholder activism, purchasing shares in fossil fuel companies to join other responsible owners in shareholder resolutions and voting at company AGMs. This creates pressure for increased transparency (on emissions, lobbying, political donations) and board renewal (voting off carbon-regressive board members) and sets a standard for institutional investors to follow. This work is done with ACCR and we need more DEA members to get involved. See link below.
Join us!
We welcome new members on the Healthy Investment Special Interest Group.
Join our advocacy for a green finance transition!
Contact [email protected]
Resources:
Divest your banking: https://www.marketforces.org.au/info/compare-bank-table/
Check how responsible your investment/super is: https:www.responsiblereturns.com.au
Become a shareholder advocate: https://hub.accr.org.au/
University engagement:
Universities and the future of humanity: https://johnmenadue.com/universities-and-the-future-of-humanity/
Do universities with medical schools fail on fossil fuels: https://johnmenadue.com/do-universities-with-medical-schools-fail-on-fossil-fuels/
Videos:
Responsible Investment session at iDEA 2022
Carolyn Orr DEA member TEDx talk Perth https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jduP_6qxaUA
Helen Redmond TEDx talk Sydney https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=764f7SVtjMA
Reports: