OSLO, Nov 4 (Reuters) - Norway's largest pension fund, KLP, said on Thursday it would no longer invest in 14 major weapons makers and their suppliers, including Raytheon Technologies Corporation RTX.N and Rolls-Royce RR.L .
The companies, based in Britain, China, France, Israel, India, Italy and the United States, have been excluded because they produce a certain type of weapons - mostly involving nuclear arms - that violate fundamental humanitarian principles, KLP said in a statement.
"The criterion applies mainly to nuclear weapons and cluster munitions, as well as anti-personnel mines," KLP said.
The other 12 companies are Babcock International Group
BAB.L , China Shipbuilding Industry Co 601989.SS , Dassault Aviation AVMD.PA , Elbit Systems ESLT.TA , General Dynamics Corp GD.N , KBR Inc KBR.N , L3Harris Technologies LHX.N , Larsen & Toubro Ltd LART.NS , Leidos Holdings LDOS.N , Leidos
SAICI.UL , Leonardo SpA LDOF.MI and Thales SA TCFP.PA .
Two of the companies - Elbit Systems and Leonardo - have already been excluded by KLP for other reasons.
The move by KLP follows a review of the ethical criteria, expanding the definition to include makers of key components used for these types of weapons.
KLP, which currently has $90 billion worth of assets under management, said the exclusion would be effective from November 2021.
(Reporting by Victoria Klesty in Oslo Editing by Matthew Lewis)
((victoria.klesty@thomsonreuters.com; +47 2331 6592; Reuters Messaging: victoria.klesty.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))