FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: UBC Divestment Coalition puts UBC on notice for investing in companies complicit in genocide and international law violations
Media contact:
May Lim, UBC Divest
[email protected]
Instagram: @ubcencampment
UBC Divestment Coalition puts UBC on notice for investing in companies complicit in genocide and international law violations
On September 10th, 2025, The UBC Divestment Coalition (the Coalition) delivered a letter to notify UBC President Benoit-Antoine Bacon and the Board of Governors of the following:
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UBC’s legal liability for its failure to divest from companies complicit in genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and other international law violations
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The conflicts of interest of three members of the UBC Board of Governors with stakes in a number of the companies in which UBC has investments
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UBC’s creation of a discriminatory and hostile environment for Palestinian and Arab students, staff, faculty, and their allies by, among other issues, allowing people who engaged in active IDF duty in Gaza’s genocide to teach and study at UBC
This action follows close to two years of growing concern by the UBC community. Thousands of community members have protested UBC’s investments in companies complicit in Israel’s genocide, scholasticide, and occupation of Palestinians through student encampments on both UBC campuses, two student strikes, rallies, petitions, student and faculty council motions, union and staff association statements, hunger strikes on both campuses, and a 76% student referendum vote in favour of divestment.
Approximately 5.3% of the UBC Endowment Fund, or $143M, has been identified by the Coalition as invested in companies complicit in violations of international law. While UBC is a signatory of the UN Principles of Responsible Investing, its Endowment Fund has investments in 33 of the 48 companies identified as part of the economy of genocide by the UN Special Rapporteur.
Despite months of direct talks between the Coalition and the UBC administration, UBC has failed to address its breach of fiduciary duty towards the UBC community. Consequently, the Coalition wrote a letter to place UBC on notice, identifying issues of legal liability that arise as a direct result of UBC’s conduct, and stating that in the absence of a response, they will pursue the appropriate legal remedies.
The delivery of the letter took place on Musqueam territory.