Data reveal that USS is currently investing in 19 of 50 leading businesses recently found to be actively involved in the illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, as well as the majority of the top lenders to and investors in those companies. These 19 companies include AirBNB, Cisco, Motorola, Caterpillar, Puma, Expedia, Bookings and Siemens.
Examples of the activities of these companies include: services for a range of hotels, guesthouses and apartments which financially support the illegal Israeli settlements; the provision of machinery and materials used for house demolitions and land-clearing missions in Palestinian towns, or for the construction and expansion of the illegal settlements; the provision of IT, networking and telecommunications systems used for surveillance and control operations in the settlements, or for transport systems on which Palestinians are forbidden to travel.
More details here.
Thank you for providing this information. I strongly feel that the USS has disregarded any moral or ethical component in its investing strategy. I am in receipt of a USS pension and I am deeply saddened and distressed that the income I receive is based on investments which are completely inappropriate and unfit for purpose as would be identified by pension recipients. To think USS investments are funding the killing of innocent civilians and children in Gaza and elsewhere – I have no words, but I have lots of pain. I wrote to the USS about a year ago about investments in fossil fuels and armaments, but they quote ‘fiduciary duty’ or ignore email. I also wrote to USS to ask if they could identify what component of my pension is provided by income from arms sales, so that I could donate it to charity, but they were unable to do so. I very much hope that Ewan McGaughey’s reforms go forward. Paul Kirk