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Groups call on Highland Council to be more 'ethical' when it comes to investing its pension funds as leading councillor says he 'welcomes' debate on the issue


By Scott Maclennan

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Question marks over the morality of Highland Council pension fund investments.
Question marks over the morality of Highland Council pension fund investments.

CAMPAIGNERS are calling on Highland Council to adopt a new charter they say will ensure a more ethical line on pension fund investments in the future.

A total of 15 community groups including Extinction Rebellion, Highland Palestine and Inverness Quakers have signed a letter calling on the local authority to adopt a new Highland Charter for Responsible Investment.

The group says the council has as much as £140 million invested in companies that “damage the environment, are complicit in violations of human rights, harm people’s health, or otherwise undermine the fabric of society.”

They say these include businesses engaged in fossil fuel extraction, mining, armaments, nuclear processing, gambling, alcohol and tobacco.

A spokesperson for the campaign said: “The charter sets out a series of recommendations that, together, would help steer the fund towards a more acceptable, responsible and sustainable profile, one more in line with the needs and values of the Highland community.”

Councillor Ben Thomson chairs the council’s sub-committee on pension investment and said he welcomed public debate around the issue.

“It is vitally important the fund is transparent,” he said.

“Making ethical investment decisions is not simple. There are shades of grey to every investment. There are pros and cons to how we respond as ethical investors.

“I’m firmly of the view that direct engagement with companies and democratic debate about how the fund invests is the right approach and will continue to advocate for that.

“The fund’s statement on ethical investments is reviewed regularly.”


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