Koala protection trumps safety of women and girls
Last year, we wrote again to a number of super funds invested in sex shop Honey Birdette's landlord shopping centres. We first raised our concerns with them in 2019, and called on them to divest from companies which hosted Honey Birdette's harmful, objectifying, porn-themed ads in their family-friendly shopping centres - read more here.
This time around, we updated them on
- Honey Birdette's ongoing violation of advertising code of ethics as it continues to broadcast porn inspired and BDSM themed ads to all ages audiences in shop windows across the country
- Honey Birdette's acquisition by global porn empire Playboy (PLBY Group)
- Serious workplace sexual harassment and abuse allegations made against the company, occurring in properties owned by the super funds
We told the super funds that we could not see how their investments in Honey Birdette's landlord shopping centres and property companies were compatible with their stated commitments to responsible investment, and that they violated the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals - Goal 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.
We urged super funds to divest from shopping centres and property companies which aid and abet Honey Birdette's sexploitative activities.
The responses
The super funds gave various responses. Some told us they were directly engaged with the property companies to urge them to stop hosting porn style ads in their shopping centres. Others gave explanations about why they saw no need to take action. Several completely ignored us.
Australian Ethical divested from Lendlease - not because of its floor to ceiling porn themed advertisements which harm women and girls, but over its failure to protect koalas. (Lendlease holds shares in other Honey Birdette property landlords including Dexus, The GPT Group, Mirvac and Stockland.)
The GPT Group which manages Karrinyup Centre (Perth) responded on behalf of the property owner UniSuper to advise of its rules regarding advertising, and consequences for breaking them:
The lessee must not display anything on the inside or outside of the shopfront or premises which is or is likely to be contrary to any Code or Guideline adopted by the Australian Association of National Advertisers (AANA).
A breach of the Centre Rules may lead to the Lessor taking action including termination of the lease if serious and ongoing breaches occur.
Unfortunately, by tying them to the self regulated advertising system, these measures are limited in their ability to protect community members from harmful, porn themed ads. As we know, Ad Standards has a long history of dismissing complaints against Honey Birdette's porn themed ads, instead ruling them as compliant with the AANA Code of Ethics.
The scores
We assessed the responses and gave the super funds a basic tick or cross based on their response to our concerns and call to action. Here's how they scored:
*Not to be interpreted as financial advice
Take action
Unhappy about your super fund's response? Think they could/should do more? Contact them and let them know.
- You can download our letters below to send, or use them as a template for your own message.
- If your super fund is not listed, ask them if they are propping up sexploitation through investments in Honey Birdette's shopping centre landlords.
- Let us know how they respond.
See our letters below
- Anglicanfunds
- Ausbil
- Australian Ethical
- Care Super
- Catholic Church Insurance
- Christian Super* Merging with Australian Ethical
- ESS Super
- Ethinvest
- Future Super
- HESTA
- Media Super* Merging with CBUS
- Mercer
- Mercy Super
- NGS Super
- UniSuper
- Verve Super
- Vision Super
(No hyperlink means we are engaged with the property fund directly and have communicated via email and phone conversations).
Watch: Campaigner Lyn Swanson Kennedy on holding the finance industry accountable for sexual exploitation
See also
Honey Birdette landlord Scentre Group called out for profiting from pornified portrayals of women
12 ways Honey Birdette disempowers women + girls
Stop propping up sexploitation - our message to Playboy investors
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