Vision: 

We desire to live in a country where decisions about defense spending are  based on actual national and human security needs, not influenced by profits on weapons. We recognize that "defense" expenditures eliminate jobs that could contribute to a healthier, more sustainable, and more peaceful world.

Mission:

Divestment from the War Machine means divesting (removing invested assets) from companies that derive their profits from nuclear weapons, military interventions, the global arms trade, and the militarization of our streets.

Strategy:

We endeavor to research the extent to which entities within the state, and the state of Vermont itself have their investments tied to major weapons manufacturers, and to create relationships with investors and investment decision makers to allow us to work with them to see the wisdom of divesting from companies that profit from weapons and war.  

🎉On Monday, July 12, 2021, the Burlington Vermont City Council passed a resolution to divest from weapons manufacturers in a 10-1 vote.🎉

You can read more about this exciting victory here!

Get involved and Contact:

Are you interested in getting more involved with the campaign to divest Vermont from the war machine? Sign up here and an organizer will be in touch! Or, you can reach out to John Reuwer [email protected] 

Campaign Co-Sponsors:

WILPF, Veterans for Peace, World Beyond War 

Campaign Resources: 

• Divest List: Find the list of companies we are seeking to divest from and the sources of that information.
• Burlington, Vermont City Council Resolution
• Divest/Invest Screen: Screen our individual and institutional investments to exclude companies that profit from war.
• Reasons to Divest from the War Machine NOW! 

Individual Divestment: 

Our ultimate goal is to divest local institutions which have thousands and sometimes millions of dollars invested in weapons manufacturers from the war machine. However, individual divestment can be a powerful first step! Here are steps you can take to divest yourself from the war machine: 

1. Take this Divestment Screen to your financial advisor to make sure you're not personally invested in the war machine.
2. Use our guide to ethical banks to find banks that are working toward environmental and social governance and/or
   community development 
3. You can talk to socially-responsible investment firms located in Vermont about managing your socially responsible investments and divesting from the war machine: 
   • Greenvest- Socially and Environmentally Responsible Investors  
   • Rock Point Advisors 
   • Clean Yield Asset Management 
4.  If you are interested in looking at particular mutual funds or exchange traded funds in your personal investments or 401K or 403b plans to see if they are invested in weapons manufacture, here is an easy to use screen.   If you've chosen to personally divest, we'd love to celebrate-- contact [email protected] to let them know! 

Webinar:

On Wednesday, May 19 2021 we hosted a Divest Vermont from the War Machine webinar to discuss the campaign. You can watch the educational webinar here: https://youtu.be/PXPb92ngDww