Australian Ethical gives Australians a super wake-up call in new national campaign via Do

Australian Ethical has launched a bold new campaign via creative agency Do, aimed at encouraging all Australians to better understand the impact their super may be having.

Nine in 10 Australians expect their superannuation or other investments to be invested responsibly and ethically. However, most people simply don’t know what their super money is invested in due to a lack of transparency in the superannuation and investment sector, according to leading ethical wealth manager Australian Ethical.

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The campaign highlights that many Australians don’t realise their mandatory super contributions could be invested in companies that damage the environment and may negatively impact society.

Phil Vernon, managing director, Australian Ethical said the campaign encourages Australians to find out for themselves whether they are unwittingly investing their super in such things as coal and gambling.

Says Vernon: “At Australian Ethical, we want to spark a conversation that prompts more Australians to actively investigate what their super money is invested in.

“We also call on the super sector to make it much easier for members to quickly know whether they are investing in organisations that support such activities.”

The campaign follows Commissioner Hayne’s final report into Misconduct into the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry, which lays bare the many deficiencies plaguing financial services in Australia.  The Royal Commission’s final report discusses the need for greater transparency measures within superannuation.

Says Vernon: “Much of the focus of these transparency measures in super are on fees and performance –and these are highly important –but we believe the time has come to widen the discussion to include transparency of investments.

“Australian Ethical has a 30-year history of advocating for improved transparency across all sectors. We believe Australians have a right to know exactly how their retirement money, which they entrust to super funds, is being invested.”

Vernon said the questions Australians should ask their super fund include:

What is my fund’s philosophy on ethical investing?

What sectors/companies does my fund invest in and where won’t it invest?

What’s the impact of these investments, for example, on the environment and on society?

How is my super fund using my money to make a positive difference?

According to the Responsible Investment Association of Australasia, ethical investing quadrupled in Australia between 2014-2017. With this shift towards ethical investing, there is an increasing awareness of the important role super funds can play to ‘do good’ for the environment and society in general.

Says Vernon: “We believe all super funds should aim not just to be the ‘best fund’ in Australia but also the best fund for Australia because, with over $2.6 trillion of Australians’ money invested through superannuation, the ability of the industry to create positive change is enormous.”

Visit the campaign hub.