Is your super funding animal cruelty?
It's the super industry's dirty secret, did you know that 90% of major super funds don’t have a public position on animal welfare? It means your hard-earned money may be invested in intensive factory farming, cosmetic testing on animals or live animal exports.
Here are the super funds with animal welfare options for their members:
Contact your super fund
More super fund resources
Explanation of super fund table categories
Green: (scenario A): A published fund-wide exclusion re investing in, or lending to, intensive animal agriculture and live export.
Green: (scenario B): A detailed policy including:
- Recognition of sentience and the Five Domains framework; and
- Statement setting out commitments and expectations of invested companies aligned with the FARMS Responsible Minimum Standards.
Orange: A published position on animal welfare which places at least some restrictions on the allocation of funds to harmful animal industries.
Red: No public position on animal welfare, or one supportive of investment in intensive systems or live export.
Green: Scenario A: A published fund-wide exclusion re investing in, or lending to, the intensive animal farming sector.
Green: Scenario B: Provision of at least one option to members which excludes investments in, or lending to, the intensive animal farming industry and associated supply chains.
Orange: A time-bound commitment to implement scenario A or B (in writing).
Red: Scenario A: Active investment in, or lending to, the intensive animal farming industry and associated supply chains.
Red: Scenario B: No public position on intensive animal farming.
Green: Scenario A: A published fund-wide exclusion re investing in, or lending to, industries which facilitate animal testing for cosmetic products.
Green: Scenario B: Provision of at least one option to members which excludes investments in, or lending to, industries which facilitate animal testing for cosmetic products.
Orange: A time-bound commitment to implement scenario A or B (in writing).
Red: Scenario A: (scenario A): Active investment in, or lending to, industries which facilitate animal testing for cosmetic products.
Red: Scenario B: No public position on animal testing for cosmetic products.
Green: (scenario A): A published fund-wide exclusion re investing in, or lending to, intensive animal agriculture, live export and cosmetic testing on animals.
Green: (scenario B): A detailed policy including:
- Recognition of sentience and the Five Domains framework; and
- Statement setting out commitments and expectations of invested companies aligned with the FARMS Responsible Minimum Standards.
Orange: A published position on animal welfare which places at least some restrictions on the allocation of funds to harmful animal industries.
Red: No public position on animal welfare, or one supportive of investment in intensive systems or live export.
Green: Scenario A: A published policy including:
- Requirement for public reporting of antimicrobial use on an annual basis;
- No use of antibiotics for growth promotion;
- No routine group prophylactic use of antibiotics.
Green: Scenario B: Published exclusions re investing in, or lending to, conventional animal agriculture and live export (which negates the need for a policy on the use of antibiotics in animal agriculture).
Orange: A time-bound commitment to develop a policy (in writing).
Red: No public position on antibiotic use in animal agriculture.
Green: Evidence of active engagement including:
- Endorsement of public statements or co-signature of letters relating to animal welfare and antibiotic use (eg BBFAW investor statement).
- Submissions to relevant legislative and regulatory processes calling for policies and standards consistent with the FARMS Responsible Minimum Standards.
- Engagement with specific industry participants.
Orange: Some limited examples of the above
Red: No evidence of relevant engagement or advocacy.
FAQs
Q: Will my potential investment returns be adversely affected if I either move my super to a responsible investment / ethical focused option within my current super fund, or if I switch to a different super fund with a responsible investment /ethical focus?
A: Extensive research by the Responsible Investment Association Australasia (RIAA) has demonstrated that super funds and investment funds which take an ethical and responsible approach have performed better than their peers over one, three, five and 10 year time frames.
The results of this most recent research and RIAA’s detailed research report can be found at this link.
To help you understand your personal financial position and to develop a strategy that suits your needs and values, you may also wish to contact a certified financial adviser.
Q: Will I incur fees if I choose to switch my super to another super fund?
A: The Australian Government’s Moneysmart website provides guidance around both consolidating your super accounts into one super fund, or switching your super from one super fund to another for free – please visit this link for more information.
Q: What if I can’t find my super fund in your table or your searchable list?
A: Make sure you search for all possible options via our searchable list in the section headed “Find your super fund by fund name”. It may be that your fund is a sub-plan of another larger super fund with a different name, for example, so please run a quick Google search to double-check. If you’re still not able to find your fund from our searchable list, please contact us at protect@worldanimalprotection.org.au.
Q: What if I have an account with more than one super fund?
A: We would suggest that you contact each of the funds you have an account with. Based on the feedback you receive from each of them, you may wish to consolidate your super with one fund. For more information about consolidating multiple super accounts, or switching your super to an entirely new super fund, please refer to information provided by the Australian Taxation Office at this link.
Q: My super fund has replied to me but I’m not happy with the response I received.
A: Please keep talking to your super fund and explain the reasons you’re not satisfied with their response. If after multiple engagements you’re still not happy, you are welcome to send your fund’s correspondence to us at protect@worldanimalprotection.org.au and we’d be happy to talk to you further. Please keep in mind we cannot provide you with financial advice, so if you are seeking financial advice please see the below section of this FAQ page which provides a link to advisors certified by the Responsible Investment Association Australasia (RIAA).
Q: I would like to speak to someone to obtain some advice about my specific financial situation – where can I find certified advisors who have expertise in this area?
A: The Responsible Investment Association Australasia (RIAA) provides a certification program for financial advisers and financial advisory groups which requires them to meet strict operational and disclosure requirements and make publicly available specific details of their services. They invite their clients and peers to hold them to account consistent with the Responsible Investment Certification Program Code of Conduct. More information about the certification process can be found at this link and you can search for a certified adviser near you at this link.