An investigation by Sveriges Radio Ekot has revealed that Swedish pension funds, specifically the Seventh AP Fund, have invested millions in the Israeli company ICL Group. The company manufactures white phosphorus, a chemical known to cause severe burns and which, according to human rights organizations, has been used by Israel in densely populated areas of Gaza and Lebanon.
The findings raise ethical questions about how accepted it is to trade with companies involved in warfare. Financial ethics researcher Mattias Gunnemyr from the University of Gothenburg and affiliated researcher to Sustainable Finance Lab, highlights the dilemma faced by investors: whether to divest from such companies or attempt to influence them from within.
