Super SA Socially Responsible Investment Option

The situation

Socially responsible investment is the most effective way the general public can influence industry to be accountable for their actions.

All Government of South Australia employees are mandated to use Super SA for the compulsory employer contribution portion of their superannuation. Although we do have a number of risk Vs return investments options, we do not have any influence over the ethical decisions of the companies that we are forced to invest in.

Of all of the State Government super funds in Australia Super SA is the only Sate Government super fund that does not offer a socially responsible investment super option.

What is needed

As an employee of the Government of South Australia I demand the option to have my superannuation invested in socially and environmentally sustainable companies.

I want my super invested in companies that are doing the right thing. Companies that provide not only potential for good returns but also socially and environmentally responsible development. I want to invest in sustainable industries such as renewable energy, sustainable timber plantations, complementary medicine, energy efficient building developments and education.

Why it is needed

Super SA currently has no ethical screening for its investment options. Today Super SA can not guarantee that your retirement funds are not being used to support companies that are involved in gambling, armaments, tobacco and alcohol, uranium mining, native forest logging, repressive regimes and companies with poor environmental and social policies.

If we do not demand the option to change no option will be given to us.

“To date, very few members of Super SA schemes have ever requested that an ethical investment option be made available. Therefore, Super SA is not planning to survey all our members in the near future, given the cost involved in doing so.”

Super SA, 30 April 2007

It is your money and you should at least have the option to choose how it is invested.