After years of unsuccessfully trying to persuade Fidelity Investments to consider human rights in their investment decisions, the Unitarian Universalist Association (“UUA”) decided enough was enough. Earlier this month, they chose to move their $178 million retirement plan from Fidelity to TIAA-CREF.

When evaluating this decision, UUA President Rev. Peter Morales said “We are morally bound to consider the impact of our financial decisions. We couldn’t continue to watch passively as money we earned through religious service was directed to companies profiting from a genocidal regime. As clients of Fidelity, we tried to create change from within, but after four years, it became clear that Fidelity’s position on investing in the Sudan hadn’t changed one iota.”  (Read the full press release here.)

If that is not putting your money where your mouth is, I don’t know what is!

The UUA works closely with Investors Against Genocide to persuade Fidelity and other money managers to divest in companies, such as PetroChina and Sinopec, that do business or have ties to the Sudanese government. The UUA and Investors Against Genocide are both advocates on Moxy Vote.