Are your investments tied to genocide?

Few of us want our personal savings connected to genocide. Even so, investment firms like BlackRock, Fidelity, Franklin Templeton, JPMorgan Chase, Vanguard and many others invest their customers’ money in companies that have helped fund genocide in Sudan. Conditions in Sudan have improved but major human rights abuses continue in Burma, Syria, and elsewhere. Investment companies need to accept responsibility and develop procedures to prevent involvement in these and future genocides.

While ethical investing may mean different things to different people, don’t you agree that investment firms should draw the line at helping to support genocide?

Help change the status quo on Wall Street and end investments in genocide.

3 million

died from genocide in Sudan

Government-sponsored genocide in Sudan spanned more than three decades and resulted in the death of over 3 million civilians. Millions more have been displaced and live in deplorable and insecure conditions.

4

oil companies support the government of Sudan

– PetroChina/CNPC
– Sinopec/China Petroleum
– Petronas
– ONGC

all supported the genocidal government of Sudan and helped fund genocide there.

$8 billion

invested in two oil companies that help fund mass killings in Sudan, Burma, Syria

American financial firms have invested billions of dollars in a handful of foreign oil companies, like PetroChina and Sinopec, that help fund the government of Sudan’s campaign of violence. Eight major investment firms alone have $8 billion of investments in these two companies that support the government of Sudan and also of Burma and Syria.

88%

of Americans want to be genocide-free

88% of Americans surveyed want their investments to be genocide-free. 84% of respondents say they will withdraw their investments from American companies that do business with companies that directly or indirectly support genocide.


Want to help?

1

Move Your Money

Contact your financial advisor to request genocide-free investment options. If they aren’t responsive, consider moving your money to a different service provider that supports genocide-free investing.

2

Send a message

Tell BlackRock, Fidelity, Franklin Templeton, JPMorgan Chase, and Vanguard to adopt a genocide-free investing policy. Sign the petition

Does your firm invest in companies with ties to genocide?

Research shows that the vast majority of Americans want their investments to be genocide-free. Even so, financial firms like BlackRock, Fidelity, Franklin Templeton, JPMorgan Chase, Vanguard and many others continue to invest their customers’ money in companies that helped fund the genocide and mass killings in Sudan, and also in Burma and Syria.

However, some mainstream financial firms are helping change the status quo on Wall Street. T. Rowe Price, American Funds and TIAA-CREF have all taken steps to align themselves with the values of their customers by avoiding investments with ties to genocide.

While ethical investing may mean different things to different people, don’t you agree that financial firms should draw the line at helping to support genocide?

3 million

died from genocide in Sudan

Government-sponsored genocide in Sudan spanned more than three decades and resulted in the death of over 3 million civilians. Millions more have been displaced and live in deplorable and insecure conditions.

4

oil companies support the government of Sudan

– PetroChina/CNPC
– Sinopec/China Petroleum
– Petronas
– ONGC

all supported the genocidal government of Sudan and helped fund genocide there.

$8 billion

invested in two oil companies that help fund mass killings in Sudan, Burma, Syria

American financial firms have invested billions of dollars in a handful of foreign oil companies, like PetroChina and Sinopec, that help fund the government of Sudan’s campaign of violence. Eight major investment firms alone have $8 billion of investments in these two companies that support the government of Sudan and also of Burma and Syria.

88%

of Americans want to be genocide-free

88% of Americans surveyed want their investments to be genocide-free. 84% of respondents say they will withdraw their investments from American companies that do business with companies that directly or indirectly support genocide.


Want to help?

1

Avoid and Divest

We advocate for investment firms to avoid or divest holdings of the four foreign oil companies that are the largest business partners with the government of Sudan. These four companies are PetroChina/CNPC group, China Petroleum & Chemical Corp./Sinopec group, ONGC and Petronas. The CNPC and Sinopec groups also support the murderous regimes of Burma and Syria.

2

Announce a GFI Policy

Develop and implement a public genocide-free investing policy that will guide investment decisions and enable your firm to avoid investments with ties to genocide, now and in the future.

The policy should be in line with the genocide-free investing shareholder proposal which states, “Shareholders request that the Board institute transparent procedures to avoid holding investments in companies that, in management’s judgment, substantially contribute to genocide or crimes against humanity, the most egregious violations of human rights.”

Should institutional investors support investments tied to genocide?

Research shows that the vast majority of Americans want their investments to be genocide-free. Even so, financial firms like BlackRock, Fidelity, Franklin Templeton, JPMorgan Chase, Vanguard and many others continue to invest their customers’ money in companies that helped fund the genocide and mass killings in Sudan, and also in Burma and Syria.

A growing number of institutional investors, from asset managers to pension funds, are changing the status quo on Wall Street by aligning themselves with the values of their participants.

The Unitarian Universalist Association, AFSCME Employees Pension Plan, and many states, including California, Texas, and New York have taken steps to avoid supporting investments with ties to genocide such as divesting, changing service providers, and voting their proxies in support of genocide-free investing.

Will your institution be among those who help change the status quo? Will you draw the line at genocide?

3 million

died from genocide in Sudan

Government-sponsored genocide in Sudan spanned more than three decades and resulted in the death of over 3 million civilians. Millions more have been displaced and live in deplorable and insecure conditions.

$8 billion

invested in two oil companies that help fund mass killings in Sudan, Burma, Syria

American financial firms have invested billions of dollars in a handful of foreign oil companies, like PetroChina and Sinopec, that help fund the government of Sudan’s campaign of violence. Eight major investment firms alone have $8 billion of investments in these two companies that support the government of Sudan and also of Burma and Syria.

30 states

have divested from Sudan

Thirty states plus the District of Columbia and 61 colleges and universities have divested from companies helping to fund the genocide in Sudan. Barack Obama and John McCain also divested during the 2008 presidential campaign.

88%

of Americans want to be genocide-free

88% of Americans surveyed want their investments to be genocide-free. 84% of respondents say they will withdraw their investments from American companies that do business with companies that directly or indirectly support genocide.


Want to help?

1

Avoid and Divest

We advocate for pension funds to avoid or divest holdings of the four foreign oil companies that are the largest business partners with the government of Sudan. These four companies are PetroChina/CNPC group, China Petroleum & Chemical Corp./Sinopec group, ONGC and Petronas. The CNPC and Sinopec groups also support the murderous regimes of Burma and Syria.

2

Announce a GFI Policy

Develop and implement a public genocide-free investing policy that will guide investment decisions and enable your firm to avoid investments with ties to genocide, now and in the future.

The policy should be in line with the genocide-free investing shareholder proposal which states, “Shareholders request that the Board institute transparent procedures to avoid holding investments in companies that, in management’s judgment, substantially contribute to genocide or crimes against humanity, the most egregious violations of human rights.”

Should Americans be able to make informed choices regarding investments with ties to genocide?

Although U.S. sanctions prevented U.S. companies from operating in Sudan’s oil industry, American financial institutions have been major investors in foreign oil companies that helped fund the genocide and mass killings in Sudan, and also in Burma and Syria.

Research shows that the vast majority of Americans want their investments to be genocide-free.

Individual investors deserve disclosure and transparency from their financial firms to clearly provide material facts that they need to make informed choices. Support legislation to empower investors to be able to uphold their values and choose to avoid connections to genocide and crimes against humanity.

3 million

died from genocide in Sudan

Government-sponsored genocide in Sudan spanned more than three decades and resulted in the death of over 3 million civilians. Millions more have been displaced and live in deplorable and insecure conditions.

4

oil companies support the government of Sudan

– PetroChina/CNPC
– Sinopec/China Petroleum
– Petronas
– ONGC

all supported the genocidal government of Sudan and helped fund genocide there.

$8 billion

invested in two oil companies that help fund mass killings in Sudan, Burma, Syria

American financial firms have invested billions of dollars in a handful of foreign oil companies, like PetroChina and Sinopec, that help fund the government of Sudan’s campaign of violence. Eight major investment firms alone have $8 billion of investments in these two companies that support the government of Sudan and also of Burma and Syria.

88%

of Americans want to be genocide-free

88% of Americans surveyed want their investments to be genocide-free. 84% of respondents say they will withdraw their investments from American companies that do business with companies that directly or indirectly support genocide.


Want to help?

1

Support Legislation

Support efforts to create and pass legislation that will increase transparency and disclosure by financial firms regarding investments in companies that substantially contribute to genocide or crimes against humanity.  Read more

2

Contact Us

Contact Investors Against Genocide to arrange for a briefing on the issue and to learn more about how government officials can support genocide-free investing.

Investors Against Genocide is...

a citizen-led initiative, dedicated to convincing mutual funds and other investment firms to make an ongoing commitment to genocide-free investing. Investors Against Genocide works with individuals, financial firms, pension and endowment managers and government officials to encourage investment firms to change their investing strategy to avoid investments in companies that substantially contribute to genocide or crimes against humanity.