‘Desmond and Susan’ aims to shine a light on the hidden power of our pensions
The Richard Curtis-founded ethical pensions campaign Make My Money Matter (MMMM) has launched a short film series with Robert Webb of Peep Show and Strictly Come Dancing, starring alongside comedian and Ghosts’ star Lolly Adefope.
The tongue-in-cheek films, ‘Desmond and Susan', are directed by Curtis and feature two distinctly different characters - old school ‘Desmond', who has no issue with how pension is invested and ‘Susan', a progressive who wants her pension to build a better world while it grows.
‘Desmond and Susan' shines a light on the hidden power of our pensions, highlights the critical role they play in tackling the climate crisis and dispels myths which discourage savers from greening their money.
'Desmond and Susan' builds on research conducted by MMMM with Aviva and Route2 which revealed that greening your pension is the single most powerful action individuals can take to cut their carbon footprint. The research found that a green pension has 21x** more impact at cutting your carbon than stopping flying, going veggie and switching to a renewable energy provider combined.
As consumer demand for green pensions continues to grow, with 18 million* savers saying that they would switch to a green pension if offered one by their provider, MMMM's ‘Desmond and Susan' film series aims to help pension holders make this a reality. Savers can respond to Desmond and Susan's ‘message' by taking the 21x challenge - call to action on the pensions industry to commit to robust net zero emissions targets ahead of COP26.
Curtis said: "As COP26 approaches, people across the UK are waking up to the hidden power of their pensions. Our own research shows huge growth in awareness around the damage that our investments may be causing. In fact, over 20 million people now recognise that their pension may be contributing to climate change, while 18 million savers would choose a green pension if offered one. Now is the time for the industry to respond and ensure everyone has a pension they can be proud of.
"Desmond and Susan are the perfect characters to take this message to the mainstream - helping show the absurdity of investing against our values, and the extraordinary potential if we all make our money matter. With COP26 on the horizon, we hope all pension funds take a leaf out of Susan's book and ensure our money tackles the climate crisis, not fuel the fire."
Watch the full series of ‘Desmond and Susan' films on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLWDpjpu9kvjENKk4g7AymqA2uHIKG4kU
