The arms trade - a loaded issue
We realise that there's an entire spectrum of opinion on the arms trade.
Some people oppose the manufacture of arms full stop. Others see the arms industry as a necessary evil , believing that every country has a right to use armaments in order to defend itself.
The picture is perhaps further complicated when you consider that we live in a country that's one of the world's largest arms exporters.
So where do we stand?
Based on our last customer vote, our position is to refuse to invest in any business that supplies arms to oppressive regimes.
This position isn't as simple as you may at first think, as opinions on what constitutes an oppressive regime differ. We define them to be regimes where basic human rights, as set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, are denied in a systematic manner over time.
Our policy on the arms trade
We will not invest in any business involved in :
- the manufacture or transfer of armaments to oppressive regimes.
- the manufacture of torture equipment or other equipment that is used in the violation of human rights.
Want to know more?
