After the UK Ministry of Defence announced in November 2020 that it would take back management control of its nuclear weapon facilities from the AWE-ML consortium of which Serco was part, it’s been reported that Serco is no longer seeking new nuclear weapon associated contracts.
Serco was part of the joint venture AWE-ML, which ran the UK Atomic Weapons Establishment. It was responsible for manufacturing and maintaining the nuclear warheads for UK arsenal.1 It was also involved in the development of the new warhead, the Mark 4A or Mk4A2 which reportedly commenced without formally notifying the UK parliament.3
Serco has been on the blacklist of at least 28 financial institutions, including ABP, APG, DNB, Handelsbanken, KLP, Menzis, Akademiker Pension (Formerly: MP Pension), National Provident Fund, PenSam, PFA Pension, Stichting Pensioenfonds voor de Woningcorporaties, bpfBOUW, Fonds de Compensation, Government Pension Fund Norway, Pensioenfonds Horeca & Catering, Philips Pension Fund, Achmea, Danske Bank, Government Pension Fund – Global, KBC Group, PKA, PME (Pensioenfonds MetalElektro), Sjunde AP-fonden (AP7), Swedbank, PNO Media, Pensioenfonds Rail & OV, A.S.R., and Nordea.
Notes
- Serco, “Annual Report 2015”, Serco, February 2016; AWE-ML, “Our company”, Website AWE-ML (www.awe.co.uk/about-us/our-company/), viewed June 2016; Edwards, R., “Anger as US arms dealer takes over running of Scottish nuclear bomb base”, Scotland Herald (www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/anger-as-us-arms-dealer-takes-over-running-of-scottish-nuclear-bomb-base.13864732), 28 May 2011; Serco, “AWE review concluded successfully and updated contract agreed”, Press Release Serco, 31 March 2016 (www.serco.com/media/pressreleases/awe-review-concluded-successfully-and-updated-contract-agreed); Serco, “Annual Report 2016”, Serco, February 2016.).
- Nuclear Information Service, “AWE: Britain’s Nuclear Weapons Factory Past, Present, and Possibilities for the Future”, Nuclear Information Service, June 2016 (www.nuclearinfo.org/article/uk-trident-awe-aldermaston-awe-burghfield/awe-report-webpage); Ministry of Defence, “Appointment as Senior Responsible Owner for the Nuclear Warhead Capability Sustainment Programme”, Letter by the Ministry of Defence to Dr Paul Hollinshead, DST Director, 2 July 2014 (www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/523656/Nuclear_Warhead_Capability_Sustainment_Programme_SRO_appointment_Letter_-_P.Hollingshead.pdf).
- Nuclear Information Service, “AWE: Britain’s Nuclear Weapons Factory Past, Present, and Possibilities for the Future”, Nuclear Information Service, June 2016 (www.nuclearinfo.org/article/uk-trident-awe-aldermaston-awe-burghfield/awe-report-webpage); Norton-Taylor, R., “Trident is being upgraded in secret, report claims”, Website The Guardian, 7 June 2016 (www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/jun/07/trident-upgrade-secret-nuclear-warhead-new-weapon).