TU Delft in discussion with ABP
A delegation of TU Delft professors has been talking to board members of ABP and its asset investor APG about sustainable targets for pension money investment.
The meeting took place on the 31st of August 2021. In early March a plea letter was sent to ABP, signed by 500 TU Delft professors and academic staff, followed by one sent by TU Delft’s Executive Board, offering support in decisions on sustainable investments. ABP has now followed up on these letters and invited TU Delft for an exchange of ideas and plans.
After letters of protest by staff of Wageningen University and Research and the Executive Board of the University of Maastricht, TU Delft was the third Dutch university pleading for a change in policy regarding pension funds. ABP has been under fire for this already quite some years, because of its enduring investment in fossil fuels, weapons and controversial agriculture. Moreover, APG – on behalf of ABP – has so far refused to support climate resolutions brought in at shareholder meetings of oil companies by Follow This.
So far, ABP’s has been perpendicular to the sustainability aims, research and education of universities and schools of applied sciences. VSNU, the organisation of Dutch Universities, also requested ABP to change their investment policy.
TU Delft is critical – there is urgency in divesting from fossil fuels – but maintains a cooperative stance to support ABP and APG in their sustainability transition. The ABP-TU Delft meeting helped to do so.
