The Thrift Savings Plan has$32,700,000,000$32.7Bin fossil fuel stocks

The Federal Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) manages over $725 billion in retirement savings for 6 million federal employees. It's putting those savings into coal, oil, and gas companies that are driving the climate crisis.

If the TSP continues to ignore climate change, plan participants could face financial losses from stranded assets and other climate-related financial risks.

22% of TSP fossil fuel investments are in 10 oil & gas majors

$USD invested% of fossil fuel investments
Exxon Mobil$2.8B8.62%
Chevron$1.4B4.21%
Shell$769M2.35%
ConocoPhillips$691M2.11%
TotalEnergies$496M1.52%
BP$297M0.91%
Phillips 66$277M0.85%
Valero Energy$226M0.69%
Eni$129M0.39%
Marathon Oil$84M0.26%
Total$7.2B22%

$32.7B in Thrift Savings Plan fossil fuel investments by industry. "Other" includes coal mining and conglomerates with carbon reserves and/or fossil fuel operations.

$14.2B in oil & gas companies

Top 10 oil & gas industry investments in Thrift Savings Plan funds

Exxon Mobil
$2.8B
Chevron
$1.4B
Shell
$769M
ConocoPhillips
$691M
TotalEnergies
$496M
Cheniere Energy
$445M
EOG Resources
$377M
Williams Companies
$347M
Schlumberger
$309M
ONEOK
$308M
tmp

$8.7B in fossil-fired utilities

Top 10 fossil-fired utility investments in Thrift Savings Plan funds

NextEra Energy
$885M
Southern
$541M
Duke Energy
$484M
Constellation Energy
$447M
Sempra
$287M
American Electric Power
$286M
Dominion Energy
$271M
Public Service Enterprise
$242M
PG&E
$235M
Vistra
$233M
tmp

BlackRock and State Street are failing their responsibility of prudent and loyal stewardship

A significant proportion of TSP fund assets are managed by BlackRock and State Street, who routinely vote these shares according to their own investment policies.

Last year, BlackRock opposed 93% of shareholder proposals related to climate change or social issues, up from 78% the year before, and 53% the year before that.

State Street isn't much different. Research shows how both State Street and BlackRock support the status quo at climate-critical companies, voting in favor of boards of directors over 95% of the time.

What can the TSP do?

The TSP is required to by law to track certain indices. But there are steps the plan could take to safeguard workers' savings.

  • AUDIT: Perform and publish a rigorous audit of the TSP's exposure to climate-related financial risk.

  • ENGAGE: Engage TSP fund managers like BlackRock and State Street Global Advisors on climate risk-related proxy voting policies. Engage TSP index providers like S&P Global and MSCI to take climate risk into account in index management.

  • EDUCATE: Ensure employees are aware of the risk that climate change poses to their retirement savings.

Frequently asked questions

Can the TSP add new climate-safe fund options?

Does the TSP have a self-directed option with climate-safe funds?

Can the TSP vote in favor of climate-related shareholder proposals?

What role do BlackRock and State Street play?

What steps have other retirement savings systems taken to protect from climate risk?

What is climate-related investment risk?

Where did you get this data?

More from Invest Your Values
See how mutual funds and ETFs are rated on issues ranging from fossil fuels, to deforestation, gender equality, guns, prisons, weapons, and tobacco


We offer sustainable investment tools that highlight issues dealing with climate change, gender equality and more

About us

Invest Your Values is funded by contributions to As You Sow, a non-profit 501(c)3.

Donate

Invest Your Values is a project by As You Sow, a 501(c)3 nonprofit empowering shareholders to change corporations for good

Visit As You Sow

Legal    
© Copyright 2024 As You Sow. All rights reserved.
Main Post Office, PO Box 751, Berkeley, CA 94701

Connect with As You Sow

Contact us      

Disclaimer: As You Sow is not an investment adviser

As You Sow is not an investment adviser as that term is defined under federal and state (California) laws and regulations. As You Sow is a tax-exempt, nonprofit organization dedicated to educating and empowering shareholders to change corporations for the good through the collection, analysis and dissemination of relevant information to the public, free of charge. As You Sow does not provide financial planning, legal or tax advice. Nothing on this website shall constitute or be construed as an offering of financial instruments, or as investment advice or investment recommendations.
See our full disclaimer