You’re thinking about divestment, what now?

You don’t want your money associated with the producers of nuclear weapons, but what can you do to make sure?

First, ask your financial advisor.  They should know how to check to see if any of your investments are connected to nuclear weapon producers.

Here’s a checklist to guide you on the way. Helps you make sure your money isn’t associated with the production of nuclear weapons. Please note, every situation is different but this is a way to get the conversation started.

Step 1: Check on your financial institution or investment

Is it listed in the Don’t Bank on the Bomb list of investors? If it is a mutual fund in the US, you can also check the excellent database from our colleagues at As You Sow.

Just checking your personal investments?

Ask your financial planner to only invest your money in funds that exclude the following companies:

If they ask why, explain that you don’t want your money associated with the production of nuclear weapons.

Step 2: Make Contact

Find the right person to talk to: board of directors, operating managers, the sustainability department, investment managers, the communication department. Always reach as high as you can!

• Hall of Fame
Tell them you are a client
Thank them for having a policy
Ask them to help you support the ICAN campaign by sharing information on the Ban
Treaty, co-signing a letter to the government, or other activity.

• Runners – Up
Thank them for having a policy
Encourage them to fix the gaps in the policy (use Don’t Bank on the Bomb for the specific recommendation)
If they have also have investments, ask them to urgently divest.

• Hall of Shame
Tell them you are a client
Ask them to urgently divest
Ask them to develop a policy to prevent future investments.

Step 3: Escalate the engagement

Keep contacting the financial institution until they respond to your message, set up a policy and divest!
If they don’t respond at first:
o Send your message again, but this time copy other departments (including communications or public relations)
o Ask through social media- Facebook or Twitter
o Give a local journalist a scoop- telling them the whole story from investment to (lack of) action
o Publish an op-ed or letter to the editor in the newspaper
o Organize demonstrations at their offices

When the financial institution responds to your letter in a positive way:
Suggest the following points for their nuclear weapons policy:
o Exclude all nuclear weapon associated companies
o Exclude all nuclear weapon associated activities
o Apply to all the institution’s products and services
o Actively divest from any current holdings in nuclear weapon producers

Step 4: Communicate & Congratulate

One success is inspiration for another, and another and another. One defeat is an opportunity to learn and improve and get creative in making new plans.

Don’t forget to:
Tell the team at Don’t Bank on the Bomb about your activities: info@dontbankonthebomb.com
Thank the people you’ve worked with at the financial institution for their efforts
Publish some “good news” by asking local media to cover the success story
Celebrate the win globally through social media