TIAA Participants: How you can get the TIAA-Divest! message to TIAA CEO Roger Ferguson

  1. Call the TIAA customer call center at 800-842-2252
  2. Enter your SSN
  3. Enter your date of birth
  4. The system will tell you your balance and ask if it can provide automated help
  5. Keep pressing zero, or say “Operator” at the prompts until you get a human on the line
  6. When the operator answers, tell them that you’d like to lodge a complaint, and read the following message (or your customized version)
  7. Make sure that the operator has recorded all of your points and ask when you should expect a reply
  8. The operator may try to direct you to a supervisor. Please take the opportunity to let the manager know your concerns! (you may be on hold for a while)
  9. The supervisor may ask you to send a letter. Great! But insist that the supervisor passes it up the chain command too. We’ve got a Letter To Roger Ferguson template letter that you can use if you like.
  10. Let us know about your call! Please fill our quick questionnaire about your call so that we can record your effort and improve our calling scripts!

Here’s the call script that you can use to let TIAA’s call center staff know why you’re unhappy with TIAA’s irresponsible investment strategy:

My Name is XXX and I’d like you to record my complaint, pass it up to your manager and eventually to Roger Ferguson.

Until recently, I’ve been happy that my retirement is being handled by TIAA. I trusted the company and believed that TIAA invested my money responsibly. But recently, I became aware that TIAA is not following the responsible investing principles TIAA claims to represent.

I’ve learned that TIAA built two fracked gas power plants in New York and Ohio. I want TIAA to close those plants, or at least sell its share.

I’m upset that TIAA has 10 billion dollars invested in fossil fuel companies. I want TIAA to divest from all of those.

I’ve learned that TIAA is one of the worlds largest investors in so-called agricultural land, and that rainforests are being cleared, farmers are being kicked off their land and indigenous communities are being displaced.

I won’t allow my retirement savings to be used for climate destruction. I want to know what TIAA is doing to address my concerns as soon as possible.

ASK: Will you make sure that my complaint is passed along to Roger Ferguson?

If they suggest that you speak to a supervisor, please do so and explain TIAA’s irresponsible practices to them as well (repeat above script)!

If they ask you to send in your complaint electronically or by mail say Yes, I will write a letter. Will you send my complaint to your supervisor right away and make sure I receive a response?

Step 2: Please Fill out the questionnaire and tell us how your call went!

Step 3: Send a letter to CEO Roger Ferguson with your complaint. Here’s a template in MS Word format, and here’s the same as a web page.