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Find out where your money is invested. Look for the name of the fund - you can find this on your annual statement or on your online account. Then google that name + ‘fact sheet’ to get the headlines of what that fund is invested in. The fact sheet should also be downloadable from your online account.
Oil and gas giants like Exxon, Shell, BP and banks funding fossil fuels (like Barclays and HSBC) are not good for the planet.
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Funds with “Ethical”, “Sustanable” or “ESG” in the title are generally better for the planet than the default fund you might be in. Switching to one of those from your current pension provider is the easy switch that packs a punch.
If you want to go a step further and be absolutely sure that your money is in the best place (because not all ESG funds are born equal), it’s probably easiest to engage a financial adviser and they can do the digging and look for the best options for you.
You can find a financial adviser at Unbiased. As an example, we’ve personally used The Path as they’re experts in green pensions and investments.
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Check for any changes in fees and any potential loss of benefits if you switch. See here for questions to ask.
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SUPPORT: If anything is unclear or you need a sounding board, you can contact the government service, Money Helper, for free advice and they can also recommend financial advisers.
INVESTMENT PERFORMANCE: Of course investments can go up as well as down and we’re not financial advisers. You can read the reports mentioned in the video here: Morningstar analysis and Good Investment Review