The Government Pension Fund of Norway comprises two entirely separate sovereign wealth funds owned by the Government of Norway:
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The Government Pension Fund - Global (Norwegian: Statens pensjonsfond - Utland, SPU) is a fund into which the surplus wealth produced by Norwegian petroleum income is deposited. The fund changed name in January 2006 from its previous name The Petroleum Fund of Norway. The fund is commonly referred to as The Oil Fund (Norwegian: Oljefondet). As of the valuation in June 2011, it was the largest pension fund in the world, although it is not actually a pension fund as it derives its financial backing from oil profits and not pension contributions. As of 31 December 2010 its total value is NOK 3,077 billion ($525 bn),[1] holding 1 per cent of global equity markets.[2] With 1.78 per cent of European stocks,[2] it is said to be the largest stock owner in Europe.[3]
The purpose of the petroleum fund is to invest parts of the large surplus generated by the Norwegian petroleum sector, generated mainly from taxes of companies, but also payment for license to explore as well as the State's Direct Financial Interest and dividends from partly state-owned Statoil. Current revenue from the petroleum sector is estimated to be at its peak period and to decline over the next decades. The Petroleum Fund was established in 1990 after a decision by the country's legislature to counter the effects of the forthcoming decline in income and to smooth out the disrupting effects of highly fluctuating oil prices.
The fund is managed by Norges Bank Investment Management (NBIM), a part of the Norwegian Central Bank on behalf of the Ministry of Finance. It is currently the largest pension fund in Europe and is larger than the California public-employees pension fund (CalPERS), the largest public pension fund in the United States. The Norwegian Ministry of Finance forecasts that the fund will reach NOK 4,334.3 billion ($717 bn) by the end of 2014 and NOK 6,065.7 billion ($1,003 bn) by the end of 2019[4]. In a parliamentary white paper in April 2011 the Norwegian Ministry of Finance forecast that the 2030 value of the fund would be NOK 7,400 billion ($1263 bn). A worst case scenario for the fund value in 2030 was forecast at NOK 2,667 billion ($455 bn) and a best case scenario at NOK 19,556 billion ($3,337 bn)[5].
Since 1998 the fund has been allowed to invest up to 40 per cent of its portfolio in the international stock market. In 2007 the ministry decided to raise the stock portion to 60 per cent. This was achieved in June 2009. The Norwegian Government has planned that up to 5 per cent of the fund should be invested in real estate, starting in 2010.[6] A specific policy for the real estate investments was suggested in a report the Swiss Partners Group wrote for the Norwegian Ministry of Finance.[7]
Due to the large size of the fund relative to the low number of people living in Norway (4.9 million people in 2010[8]), the Petroleum Fund has become a hot political issue, dominated by three main issues:
Part of the investment policy debate is related to the discovery of several cases of investment by The Petroleum Fund in highly controversial companies, involved in businesses such as arms production and tobacco. The Petroleum Fund’s Advisory Council on Ethics was established 19 November 2004 by royal decree. Accordingly, the Ministry of Finance issued a new regulation on the management of the Government Petroleum Fund which also includes ethical guidelines.
On 19 January 2010 the Ministry of Finance announced that 17 tobacco companies had been excluded from the fund.[9] The total divestement from these companies was USD 2bn (NOK 14.2bn), making it the largest divestment caused by ethical recommendations in the history of the fund.[10]
The following companies have been excluded from the Government Pension Fund of Norway due to activities in breach of the ethical guidelines [11]
Company | HQ | Date of exclusion | Reason | Divestment (USD) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Africa Israel Investments | Israel | 24 August 2010 | Violation of the Geneva Convention in occupied Palestinian territory by being involved in developing settlements [12] | 1.2m |
Alliance One International Inc. | United States | 19 Jan 2010 | Production of tobacco.[9] | 0.9m |
Alliant Techsystems Inc | United States | 30 Jun 2005 | Production of components for cluster munitions.[13] | N/A [nb 1] |
Altria Group Inc. | United States | 19 Jan 2010 | Production of tobacco.[9] | 131m |
Barrick Gold Corporation | Canada | 30 Jan 2009 | Extensive environmental degradation related to the Porgera Gold Mine in Papua New Guinea [14] | 245m |
BAE Systems Plc. | United Kingdom | 11 Oct 2005 | Production of nuclear missiles for the French Air Force through the company MBDA.[15] | N/A [nb 2] |
Boeing Company | United States | 11 Oct 2005 | Maintenance of ICBMs for the U.S. Air Force.[15] | N/A [nb 2] |
British American Tobacco BHD | Malaysia | 19 Jan 2010 | Production of tobacco.[9] | 9.4m |
British American Tobacco Plc. | United Kingdom | 19 Jan 2010 | Production of tobacco.[9] | 683m |
Danya Cebus | Israel | 24 August 2010 | Violation of the Geneva Convention in occupied Palestinian territory by being involved in developing settlements[12] | N/A |
European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company EADS N.V. | France Germany Netherlands |
30 Jun 2005 | Production of nuclear missiles for the French Air Force through the company MBDA[16] [nb 3] | N/A [nb 1] |
Elbit Systems | Israel | 3 Sep 2009 | Supply of surveillance systems for the Israeli West Bank barrier [17][18][19] | 5.0m |
Finmeccanica Sp.A. | Italy | 11 Oct 2005 | Production of nuclear missiles for the French Air Force through the company MBDA.[15] | N/A [nb 2] |
FMC Corporation | United States | 30 Sept 2011 | Production of phosphate in the occupied territories of Western Sahara.[20] | 52m |
Freeport McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. | United States | 28 Mar 2006 | Serious environmental damage.[21] | 17.2m |
GenCorp Inc | United States | 15 Nov 2007 | Production of nuclear weapons.[22] | N/A |
General Dynamics Corporation | United States | 30 Jun 2005 | Production of components for cluster munitions.[13] | N/A [nb 1] |
Grupo Carso SAB de CV | Mexico | 15 Feb 2011 | Production of tobacco.[23] | N/A |
Gudang Garam tbk pt | Indonesia | 19 Jan 2010 | Production of tobacco.[9] | 0 |
Hanwha Corporation | South Korea | 15 May 2007 | Production of cluster munitions.[22] | 1.2m [24] |
Honeywell International Inc. | United States | 11 Oct 2005 | Simulations of nuclear explosions.[15] | N/A [nb 2] |
Imperial Tobacco Group Plc | United Kingdom | 19 Jan 2010 | Production of tobacco.[9] | 347m |
ITC Ltd. | India | 19 Jan 2010 | Production of tobacco.[9] | 48m |
Japan Tobacco Inc. | Japan | 19 Jan 2010 | Production of tobacco.[9] | 210m |
KT&G Corp. | South Korea | 19 Jan 2010 | Production of tobacco.[9] | 16m |
L3 Communications Holdings Inc | United States | 30 Jun 2005 | Production of components for cluster munitions.[13] | N/A [nb 1] |
Lockheed Martin Corp | United States | 30 Jun 2005 | Production of components for cluster munitions.[13] | N/A [nb 1] |
Lorillard Inc. | United States | 19 Jan 2010 | Production of tobacco.[9] | 42m |
Northrop Grumman Corp. | United States | 11 Oct 2005 | Maintenance of ICBMs for the U.S. Air Force.[15] | N/A [nb 2] |
Philip Morris Int. Inc. | United States | 19 Jan 2010 | Production of tobacco.[9] | 476m |
Philip Morris Cr AS | Czech Republic | 19 Jan 2010 | Production of tobacco.[9] | 2.7m |
Poongsan Corporation | South Korea | 30 Sep 2006 | Production of cluster munition.[25] | 1.2m |
Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan | Canada | 30 Sept 2011 | Production of phosphate in the occupied territories of Western Sahara.[20] | 274m |
Raytheon Company | United States | 30 Jun 2005 | Production of components for cluster munitions.[13] | N/A [nb 1] |
Reynolds American Inc. | United States | 19 Jan 2010 | Production of tobacco.[9] | 36m |
Rio Tinto Group | Australia | 28 Apr 2008 | Severe environmental damage[26] | 882m |
Samling Global Ltd. | Malaysia | 23 Aug 2010 | "Illegal logging and severe environmental damage"[12] | 1.4m |
SAFRAN SA | France | 11 Oct 2005 | Production of nuclear missiles for the French Navy.[15] | N/A [nb 2] |
Serco Group Plc | United Kingdom | 15 Nov 2007 | Maintenance of British nuclear weapons through the Atomic Weapons Establishment.[22] | N/A |
Souza Cruz SA | Brazil | 19 Jan 2010 | Production of tobacco.[9] | 7.4m |
Singapore Technologies Engineering | Singapore | 22 Mar 2002 | Production of anti-personnel landmines.[27] | N/A |
Swedish Match AB | Sweden | 19 Jan 2010 | Production of tobacco.[9] | 75m |
Textron Inc | United States | 30 Jan 2009 | Production of components for cluster munitions.[28] | 36m |
United Technologies Corp. | United States | 11 Oct 2005 | Production of engines for ICBMs in the U.S. Air Force.[15] | N/A [nb 2] |
Universal Corp VA | United States | 19 Jan 2010 | Production of tobacco.[9] | 3m |
Vector Group Ltd. | United States | 19 Jan 2010 | Production of tobacco.[9] | 2.1m |
Vedanta Resources Plc | United Kingdom | 28 Aug 2007 | Environmental and human rights abuses.[29] | 12m |
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. | United States | 28 Mar 2006 | Breach of human rights and labour rights.[21] | 372m |
The fund does not announce exclusions until it has completed sales of its positions, so as not to affect the share price at the time of the transaction.[30]
Three previously excluded companies have later been reinstated to the fund, because the companies were no longer involved in the activities that led to their exclusion.
Company | HQ | Date of exclusion | Reason | Divestment (USD) | Date of reinstatement |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
DRD Gold Limited | South Africa | 29 Jan 2007 | Serious environmental damage.[31] | 0.6m | 3 Sep 2009 [32][33] |
Kerr-McGee Corporation | United States | 29 Apr 2005 | Petroleum surveying in occupied Western Sahara [34] | 54m | 30 Jun 2006 [35] |
Thales SA | France | 30 Jun 2005 | Production of components for cluster munitions.[13] | N/A [nb 1] | 3 Sep 2009[32][36] |
As an alternative to full exclusion from the fund, companies may be placed "under observation" in order to help put pressure on the company to improve.
Company | HQ | Date of warning | Reason | Shares |
---|---|---|---|---|
Alstom | France | 6 Dec 2011 | Risk of gross corruption[37] | N/A |
Siemens AG | Germany | 13 Mar 2009 | "Gross and systematic corruption" [38] | 900m USD |
It has been proposed that one more company, Goldcorp, should be placed under similar observation.[39]
In October 2010 the fund spent 600 million kroner ($136.4 million as of October 2010) daily buying foreign currencies. That figure would be increased to 800 million kroner daily in November.[40] This practice was suspended in January 2011, and on January 31 it was announced that this would also be the case in February.[41]
The Government Pension Fund - Norway (Norwegian: Statens pensjonsfond Norge, SPN) was established by the National Insurance Act (Folketrygdloven) in 1967 under the name National Insurance Scheme Fund (Norwegian: Folketrygdfondet). The name was changed at the same time as the former Petroleum Fund on 1 January 2006. This fund continues to be managed by a separate board and separate government entity still named Folketrygdfondet. The Government Pension Fund - Norway had a value of NOK 106.9 billion at the end of 2006. Unlike the Global division, it is instructed to invest in domestic companies on the stock market, dominantly on Oslo Stock Exchange. Due to this, the Government Pension Fund - Norway is a key stock owner in many large Norwegian companies.
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specified when using {{Cite web}}" (in Norwegian). Norwegian Ministry of Finance. http://www.regjeringen.no/Upload/FIN/Statens%20pensjonsfond/2011/spu/carso2011.pdf.