U-M’s retirement investment partners now offer funds that align with the university’s goal of achieving carbon neutrality across all of its gas emission scopes, an aspiration announced by President Mark Schlissel in May.

“Human influenced global climate change is the defining scientific and social problem of our age,” Schlissel has said. He created a President’s Commission on Carbon Neutrality task force that released its 104-page Final Report and Recommendations in March.

Investment Partners Respond

The university’s partners in retirement investing, Fidelity Investments and TIAA, have responded to the challenge to incorporate green investment choices. Each company has created new, environmentally responsible funds investors can access this month.

Fidelity launches its U.S. Sustainability Index Fund June 29. The fund takes into consideration companies’ records in regard to environmental issues such as climate change, social issues such as labor standards, and governance issues such as business ethics and political contributions.

TIAA has created the TIAA-CREF Social Choice Low Carbon Equity Fund (TNWCX). It gives consideration to companies’ environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance records, and opened to investors June 11.

Free TIAA Webinar June 30

Learn more about U-M’s socially conscious investments during TIAA’s Responsible Investing webinar on Wednesday, June 30, at noon ET. The free event will help U-M investors discover more about the new fund and Environmental-Social-Governance (ESG) investing in general. Register here.

One-on-One Guidance

If you’d like one-on-one discussion about the new funds or general guidance, schedule a personal meeting with a Fidelity or TIAA representative. You can meet by phone and through online sessions for convenience and safety. To schedule an appointment:

Visit tiaa.org/schedulenow or call 800-732-8353, weekdays from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET.

Visit Fidelity's new web page or call 800-642-7131, weekdays from 8 a.m. to midnight ET.