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Sierra Club Guidelines
Our Environmental and Social Guidelines Are a Road Map to Our Planet's Future
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In a profit-driven environment, companies often balance environmental and social concerns with those of increasing shareholders' wealth. As a result, there are companies who consciously attempt to minimize the impact of their decisions on the planet - just as there are companies whose practices threaten our planet's future.

Looking at each company's overall business, we carefully evaluate which aspects of their operations may negatively impact our society and the environment. If we find any substantial environmental risk, we will not consider that company for investment.

The Sierra Club guidelines address a wide range of issues:
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We exclude companies that engage in concentrated animal feeding operations (factory farms), industrial fish farming, and the development of genetically- modified plants and animals.
We exclude companies that test their products on animals where the law does not mandate it.
We exclude companies that do not practice cruelty-free (or humane) animal treatment.
We seek out companies that practice disclosure and transparency in their business practices.
We will divest the securities of any company found to be involved in malfeasance scandals. 
We will not invest in companies that engage in predatory lending or who take advantage of select consumers' lack of understanding of complex financial products.
We exclude companies and industries that significantly contribute to the growth of carbon emissions and the resultant climate change.
We exclude companies that have experienced significant labor relations issues.
We exclude companies that do not treat workers equitably throughout the world.
We avoid investing in companies that engage in irresponsible, non-sustainable development.
We avoid investing in companies that finance projects contributing to urban sprawl.
We do not invest in companies engaged in the business of making military weaponry or their proprietary components.
We do not invest in companies that generate nuclear power due to the ongoing problems of storage and disposal of nuclear materials.
We exclude companies that fail to recognize and minimize environmental costs.
We do not invest in companies that are not proactive in the reduction of toxic emissions.
We do not support companies that are primarily engaged in the tobacco business.
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in action
As the world's premier direct marketer of computers, Dell Inc. could have been one of the planet's major waste contributors - but they're not. Our environmental due diligence found that Dell sets strict recycling criteria for its vendors, and implements its own global recycling initiatives such as maintaining a 95% waste recycling rate at its Austin, Texas facility. Dell is also among a handful of companies that pledged to avoid the use of products made from clear-cut rainforests. These are among the findings that allowed Dell to be part of our stock fund holdings.
   
 
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The Sierra Club Stock Fund is professionally managed under the supervision of Forward Management, the independent Investment Advisor. The fund may choose not to purchase or retain investments that may be profitable if the companies being considered are in conflict with the established environmental and social guidelines of the Sierra Club.

Sierra Club Stock Fund is distributed by ALPS Distributors, Inc.
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