Take action

While publicity around the launch of the Clean Investment campaign might highlight arms company shareholdings as an issue for the local authorities, they are much more likely to take notice of the concerns of individual council tax payers.

If your local authority is one of the 75 that holds shares in BAE Systems, this could form the focus for your actions given the high-profile controversy surrounding BAE's alleged corruption and influence within Government.

Write to your local authority. This is the fundamental element of the Clean Investment campaign. See our brief guide to contacting your council.

Gather signatures for a petition in favour of ethical investment.

Hold protests or vigils outside your council building.

Go to investment committee meetings. Just ask for the agenda in advance and then go along. Though you may not be able to input, you will get an understanding of how the committee thinks and works, and they will know you are there and are concerned.

Get the issue into the local media. Make use of letters pages, protests/photo opportunities, responses from the local authority, information you glean from investment meetings, etc. Tips for using the local media are available as is a more extensive local media guide.

Contact your local UNISON branch. It may have a non-voting place on the investment committee and they are often supportive and understand the issue. The UNISON staff pension fund is itself invested ethically and the union's 2007 conference issued a "call to end pension investment in arms trade".

As ever, do ask if you think we can help and please let us know how you get on: cleaninvestment@caat.org.uk