Residents urge ethical procurement and investment clause for Lansing charter

Amanda Castillo and Sam Burton, members of a Lansing-based coalition for human rights and environmental justice, asked the Lansing City Charter Commission on May 13, 2025, to add an "ethical investment" clause to the City of Lansing charter that would require the city to consider human-rights and environmental-justice criteria when making procurements and investments.

The request, delivered during the commission's public presentations, asks that the charter direct the city to adopt ethical guidelines as a "guardrail" for future purchasing and investing decisions so that city funds and purchases align with values the presenters say Lansing claims to uphold.

Castillo told commissioners, "The City Of Lansing in its procurements and investments ... shall make its procurements and investments ethically," and said the proposal would not force an immediate overhaul of city operations but would establish standards to guide future decisions. Burton said the coalition had used a Freedom of Information Act request to obtain pension investment records and was reviewing holdings they described as potentially inconsistent with the proposed standards. "We were recently able to get, a list of the investments in the pension system via FOIA," Burton said.

The presenters offered examples they want the city to consider, citing concerns about companies such as Caterpillar and its sales relationships, fossil-fuel producers such as ExxonMobil, and defense contractors such as Northrop Grumman. They said the clause would allow the city to prioritize investments and purchases that "uplift the values that Lansing claims to stand for," and described the proposal as a first draft open to negotiation.

Commissioners responded with questions and constraints. Several members said the charter commission may not be the appropriate venue to impose investment rules that could affect pension funds or procurement for public safety. Commissioner Anderson said she was "not comfortable enshrining something in our charter" that could constrain pension boards made up of elected, appointed and technical professionals. Multiple commissioners suggested the group should pursue the matter through the mayor's sustainability advisory body or city council, and to bring more concrete data and research before proposing charter language.

Several commissioners raised fiduciary concerns: how divestment or screening could affect pension returns and retirees who rely on those funds. Commissioners also noted practical limits on the charter's authority over some investment decisions and encouraged the presenters to consult legal and financial staff and established boards that handle pensions and procurement.

Presenters and public commenters emphasized community support. Public commenter Caitlin Macqua said, "Lansing wants and deserves that our money be used to enrich our communities, not harm them," and urged the commission not to foreclose discussion. Nick Finch, another commenter, supported the proposal and called for improved accessibility of city advisory bodies and clearer public avenues for participation.

No motion was made to place the proposed clause in the charter during the meeting. Commissioners asked the presenters to collect and return with documented research, examples of language from other charters or ordinances, and to consult the city sustainability advisory body and city council. Several commissioners suggested the petitioners work with city staff and existing procurement and pension authorities rather than seeking a charter amendment at this stage.