On Friday, January 26 the semesterly Tri-Co career fair was held in Haverford’s Founders Hall. Over 40 employers were present and the hall was packed.
But while the career fair went on inside, another table had been set up by students outside Founder’s Hall. Tri-Co students associated with the group Earth Quaker Action Team (EQAT) stood at a table draped in a bright red banner reading, “Vanguard Invests in Climate Destruction.” Inside Founders Hall, other EQAT members handed out flyers, one person stationed right in front of the Vanguard table. The students aimed to raise awareness of Vanguard’s investments in fossil fuels, hoping to get students to sign a “never Vanguard” pledge, promising to never invest in or work for the company.
Vanguard, an investment management company, was one of the many companies present at the career fair. They state that their core purpose is “to take a stand for all investors, to treat them fairly, and to give them the best chance for investment success.” The company also outlines their sustainability goals and mission, saying “we are committed to reducing our global carbon footprint and managing climate-related risks to our operations,” further outlining six different sustainability goals they have set. These are to achieve 100% renewable energy in global operations (which the company achieved as of 2021 and 2022), reach carbon neutrality in global operations, reduce carbon emissions by 20%, reduce electricity usage by 5%, reduce water usage by 20% and divert 80% of waste from landfills.
EQAT points out that despite the company’s sustainability focused goals, they are still one of the world’s top investors in climate destroying markets such as coal, oil and gas. As reported by the Harvard Business Review, Vanguard holds over $300 billion dollars in fossil fuel companies’ equity.
Tri-co members of EQAT explained that Vanguard recruits a large quantity of tri-co students, especially due to the fact that the company is based out of Valley Forge, right here in Pennsylvania. This fact is what drove EQAT to move their activism on campus.
Berenice Tompkins, a campaign organizer with EQAT who was in attendance to support and assist the students, said “Vanguard does a lot of recruiting of students in the Tri-co and we think that’s significant…[because] Vanguard is reaching out to young people and the beginning of their career and young people…have a great stake in climate change because its an issue that disproportionately impacts our generation and we think that other young people deserve to know that a company that they’re considering working at is jeopardizing peoples’ future by continuing to invest in climate destruction”.
The Bi-Co News approached the three Vanguard representatives present at the career fair, asked how they felt about being protested by members of the same student body they are trying to court. One rep seemed initially interested in talking, but was frantically told not to by another one of the representatives.
