The SOC Investment Group, formerly known as the CtW Investment Group, holds corporations and their leadership accountable for irresponsible and unethical corporate behavior and excessive executive pay, reflecting the long-term interests of workers and their families invested in union pension funds. The SOC Investment Group supports regulatory and shareholder initiatives to ensure independent and accountable directors, reasonable executive compensation practices, and sound environmental, human capital and other business policies. 

Founded in February 2006 as the CtW Investment Group, the SOC Investment Group works with pension funds sponsored by unions affiliated with the Strategic Organizing Center (SOC), a coalition of unions representing more than four million members, to enhance long-term shareholder returns through active ownership. Members of SOC affiliates participate in Taft-Hartley plans with over $250 billion in assets, which are the deferred wages of workers and their families, also called workers’ capital. 

The long-term health of these pension plans, and the retirement security of the workers and families who rely upon them, are threatened by conflicts of interest on Wall Street and in the boardroom and a lack of accountability of executives to shareholders.  

The SOC Investment Group responds to these challenges by organizing workers’ capital into an effective voice for corporate accountability and retirement security. Shareholder activism and stewardship can improve long-term performance—particularly those of worker funds that are broadly diversified across the whole market. In addition, activities intended to monitor or influence the management of portfolio companies are consistent with a fiduciary’s obligations under ERISA. The Investment Group develops strategies and initiatives to support efforts by trustees and their pension funds to be responsible and active owners. The SOC Investment Group has global reach based on strong relationships with union trustee networks around the world. 

We also pay attention to major corporate transactions and contests for control because of the magnitude of shareholder value at stake and the fact that many past deals have destroyed such value. The SOC Investment Group believes active engagement by shareholders with company directors and executives at these critical junctures can help to prevent, or change the terms of, otherwise questionable transactions. 

The SOC Investment Group is not a named fiduciary for any pension or other fund or plan, nor does it render investment advice. The SOC Investment Group does not exercise or seek to exercise any discretionary authority or discretionary control regarding management of any plan, disposition of any plan assets, proxy voting decisions, appointment of plan trustees, or any other aspect of plan management or administration. Although SOC Investment Group strategies and initiatives are thoroughly reviewed for compliance with applicable laws and regulations, the law requires trustees and other fiduciaries to conduct their own review and make independent decisions before implementing or adopting any of these strategies or initiatives.