Invest with Integrity: How Couples Can Use AFSC’s Investigate Tool to Align Their Portfolio with Their Values

Brian Page
12 minutes ago
3 min read

When you manage money as a team, every financial decision becomes an opportunity to express shared values. For dual-career couples who want their investments to support—not contradict—their beliefs, it can be frustrating to realize your 401(k) might be funding industries like private prisons or border militarization. That’s where the Investigate tool from the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) comes in.

Investigate is a free online resource that lets you screen your investments for exposure to companies involved in human rights violations, state violence, and military occupations. It’s designed for people who want their money to make a difference—for good.

Here’s how to use the tool and start investing with integrity, together.

What Is the Investigate Tool?

AFSC’s Investigate platform is a research-driven resource that lets you check whether individual companies or entire mutual funds and ETFs are profiting from activities like:

Private prisons and immigrant detention
Border wall construction and surveillance tech
Military occupation and weapons manufacturing

Each company in the database is evaluated using a scoring rubric based on its involvement, responsibility, and responsiveness to human rights concerns. Funds are flagged when they contain a significant percentage of holdings in these companies.

What makes the tool especially powerful is its transparency—you can see the evidence behind each company’s inclusion, making it easy to understand the "why" behind the rating.

Related: Check out additional articles on saving and investing.

Step-by-Step: How to Screen Your Investments

1. Gather Your Investment Info

Whether you’re investing directly in stocks or through a 401(k), IRA, or brokerage account, start by pulling a list of your holdings. You’ll need:

Ticker symbols or fund names
Or a document (PDF, Excel, CSV) showing what stocks or funds you own

If you’re unsure how to access this, your financial advisor or HR department can help you retrieve the information.

2. Run Your Scan

Head to Investigate and choose the appropriate screening option:

Look up individual companies to check if they’re tied to prison labor, military occupation, or surveillance contracts
Search a fund by name or ticker using the “Find a Fund” feature
Upload a list of holdings for a comprehensive scan of your entire portfolio

In just a few clicks, you’ll get a breakdown of how much of your money is tied up in companies that may not align with your values.

3. Interpret the Results Together

This is the most important part. Sit down as a couple and walk through what the scan uncovered:

How much exposure do you have to flagged companies?
Are there specific industries—like private prisons or border surveillance—you want to avoid?
Are you surprised by any of the companies or funds listed?

Use this conversation to reconnect around your shared values and long-term goals.

Related: Your step by step guide to talking about money in your marriage.

What to Do If Your Portfolio Conflicts with Your Values

For Stock Investors:

If you hold individual stocks that show up in the results, consider selling and reinvesting in companies or ETFs that better align with your principles. You can also research alternative companies making a positive impact or consult with a socially responsible advisor.

For Mutual Fund and 401(k) Holders:

You might not be able to control every investment option in your 401(k), but you do have choices:

Look for ESG or socially responsible funds already offered in your plan.
If your plan is limited, reach out to your HR department or plan administrator about adding values-aligned options.
Encourage your workplace or investment firm to offer funds screened for human rights concerns—especially if you know other coworkers would join you.

Maintain the Alignment Over Time

Even if your portfolio looks clean now, funds can shift their holdings without notice. Make it a yearly tradition to scan your investments again and talk through any necessary changes.

Your values may also evolve—what matters most to you today may look different a year from now. Keeping the conversation going ensures that your finances grow alongside your principles.

Build a Shared Investment Policy

Use this opportunity to create a simple checklist you can refer back to over time. For example:

✅ No investments in private prison companies

✅ Avoid funds holding weapons manufacturers

✅ Prioritize companies with strong labor and environmental records

✅ Revisit every 12 months

Not only does this make it easier to manage your money together—it strengthens your bond as a team with a shared mission.

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