The Vegan Society defines veganism as:

"A philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude—as far as is possible and practicable—all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose; and by extension, promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of humans, animals and the environment."

This definition reflects the approach that we take to the management of your money. Our members do not want to profit from the exploitation and cruel treatment of animals or humans. So as we develop a portfolio of investments to manage your superannuation, our very first step is to screen out companies that make cruelty their business.

This means we exclude:

Animal Testing

We exclude companies who engage in animal testing. We pay particular attention to the conduct of companies who make cosmetics, household products and pharmaceuticals. We also screen out medical research facilities and companies that test on animals.

Animals and food/products

We exclude companies who profit from the breeding, rearing and killing of animals for use in food and products. This includes abattoirs, food retailers and processors who use or sell animal-based products, live animal exporters, and companies making significant use of animal by-products (like gelatine, collagen and leather).

We also go further by screening out companies who:

• engage in inhumane treatment of animal
• earn revenue from land for grazing animals
• manufacture equipment, technology and machinery specifically linked to intensive farming and transport
• provide catering services using or selling animal-based products
• engage in trapping or other means of removing animals from the wild
• conduct fish farming
• produce fur and animal skins.

Animals in sport

We will never invest our member's money in animal racing facilities or breeders. We also screen out companies who make equipment or provide services for fishing and hunting.

Genetic modification

Our ethical screen rules out companies who research, develop or use genetically engineered animals - including in pharmaceutical products, food, or other uses.

Financing

We do not invest in the biggest lenders to companies involved in live animal export, intensive farming and activities cruel to animals.