The Institute of Physics Update on financial links with fossil fuels and arms corporations

The report by Scientists for Global Responsibility (SGR) examines the Institute of Physics' (IOP) investment portfolio and sponsorship ties. SGR identifies that while the IOP has a comprehensive environmental statement, it maintains investments in numerous fossil fuel and arms companies through funds like Vanguard and Invesco. The report highlights specific sponsorships from military entities such as the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) and Babcock International. SGR argues that these financial ties contradict the IOP's stated goals of promoting a sustainable society and acting with integrity, particularly in light of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and the Paris Agreement.

• The Institute of Physics (IOP) has not updated its ethical investment policy since the 2019 'Irresponsible Science' report and has not published any specific list of excluded investments.
• As of December 31, 2019, the IOP's investments were held in three funds: Invesco Global Targeted Returns Fund (£9,617,000), CCLA COIF Charities Property Fund (£5,220,000), and Vanguard FTSE Global All Cap Index Fund (£6,961,000).
• SGR was able to identify 43% of the IOP's investments, concluding that approximately 2.5% were held in the fossil fuel industry and 1% in the arms industry.
• The IOP maintains financial links to the arms sector through sponsorships from the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE), Babcock International, and research offices of the US Navy, Army, and Air Force.
• SGR argues that the IOP's financial ties to companies involved in nuclear weapons are ethically and legally problematic following the entry into force of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) on January 22, 2021.
• SGR contends that the IOP's investments in fossil fuels contradict its own environmental policy and its 2020-2024 strategy to address climate change and decarbonise economies.

APA

Scientists for Global Responsibility (2021). The Institute of Physics Update on financial links with fossil fuels and arms corporations. https://www.sgr.org.uk/sites/default/files/2021-06/Institute_of_Physics_progress_report.pdf

Chicago

Scientists for Global Responsibility. The Institute of Physics Update on financial links with fossil fuels and arms corporations. 2021. https://www.sgr.org.uk/sites/default/files/2021-06/Institute_of_Physics_progress_report.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Scientists for Global Responsibility |title=The Institute of Physics Update on financial links with fossil fuels and arms corporations |date=April 2021 |url=https://www.sgr.org.uk/sites/default/files/2021-06/Institute_of_Physics_progress_report.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{scientistsforglobalresponsibility2021institute, author = {{Scientists for Global Responsibility}}, title = {{The Institute of Physics Update on financial links with fossil fuels and arms corporations}}, institution = {Scientists for Global Responsibility}, year = {2021}, month = apr, url = {https://www.sgr.org.uk/sites/default/files/2021-06/Institute_of_Physics_progress_report.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }