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Super Managed Funds Pensions

Understanding super

Your retirement might feel like it’s a long way off or maybe it’s just around the corner. Whatever the case is for you, it’s important to keep on top of your super – it’s the biggest favour you can do for your future self. By understanding and investing your super with us, you have the power to significantly reduce your carbon emissions. 

Read more about transformative changes you can do as an individual to live a 1.5 degree life and measure your changes through our carbon footprint calculator.

If you have some tips and tricks about living a carbon neutral life that you’d like to share with our social community, let us know through Facebook or Instagram – just use the hashtags #1point5life #australianethical

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What is super and how does it work?

Superannuation is a savings system introduced by the government to make sure you have enough money set aside for the lifestyle you want after finishing paid work. Your employer is legally required to make superannuation guarantee (SG) contributions (payments) of 9.5% of your before-tax pay if you’re 18 years or older and earning at least $450 a month before tax.

Your super is an automatic savings plan that comes with the following benefits:

  • your money is invested over your working years, giving your money the best opportunity to grow
  • as an incentive to help you save, your super is taken out of your before-tax pay (known as SG contributions), rather than after 
  • you can grow your super faster by making extra payments (known as contributions; personal or spouse, salary sacrifice and voluntary contributions)
  • investment options to suit your lifestage

Why invest with Australian Ethical

We seek investments which:

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Build a clean energy future

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Create more sustainable products

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Research medical solutions

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Support universal healthcare

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Innovate and create new technologies

We avoid investments in order to:

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Send a message to big coal

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Avoid coal seam gas expansion

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Send a message to oil firms

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Halt forest logging

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Prevent weapon manufacture

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We believe it is possible for big banks and super funds to be key drivers of positive change. However, the Royal Commission has made it clear the financial services sector is far from perfect. After considering the Commission’s findings we have divested from AMP and IOOF but we remain invested in NAB and Westpac. Here’s why.

What our members are saying...

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I’ve always held my superannuation with Australian Ethical. I love that my own financial future is invested in a clean, clever and humane tomorrow. It’s an easy way of being green, and the returns aren’t bad either!

Ingrid Neilson Communicator, Environmentalist

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Given the options of the different super funds I had, Australian Ethical Super was the only one that, according to my principles, gave me the assurance that my money was in safe hands.

Eli Buxeda Photographer, Graphic Designer

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l have been waiting for this opportunity. For me, it is not just the money l place in the hands of those who care about the planet. It is a vote against those who make money from misery and destruction. I may be a humble crane driver but this is our world and we need compassion not misery.

Richard Mann former Greenpeace employee (1989)