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New guide 'a practical roadmap' to help faiths invest in line with values

  • Writer: FaithInvest
    FaithInvest
  • Oct 7
  • 3 min read

Updated: Oct 21

Press release: The movement of faith-based investing is growing fast as increasing numbers of religious groups seek to ensure their values are reflected in their investments.

 

Now non-profit FaithInvest has published a comprehensive guide, From Faith Values to Investment, to help faith-based organisations develop faith-consistent investing (FCI) programmes.  


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FaithInvest Executive Chair Dave Zellner says the guide is very timely given the sharp rise in interest in FCI in recent years. 

 

Faith-based asset owners have been described collectively as 'the third-largest economic power on Earth' (1), and studies show that globally they control trillions in assets (2). 

 

'Since FaithInvest was founded in 2019, we've seen a significant change in attitudes towards faith-based investing,' says Zellner.


'Many more faith organisations are talking about the importance of investing in line with their values, and investment providers are taking notice. As a result, in the last two months alone, we've seen the announcement of several new funds, investment platforms or tools aimed at faith-based investors.' (3)

 

But challenges remain

Many faith groups experience challenges when it come to getting started on faith-based investing, says Zellner. 'Faith organisations want to achieve transformative social and environmental impact with their investments, but they also have a legal responsibility to manage their financial assets carefully,' he says.


'As a result, the often-asked question we get from faith-based asset owners is: 'How do we honour both our deeply held beliefs AND our fiduciary duty to prudently manage our assets?' 


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A road map to developing FCI

That's why FaithInvest has updated and significantly expanded its original From Faith Values publication, produced in 2021, to provide much more comprehensive guidance.

 

At 40 pages, the new guide is double the size of the 2021 version, and covers key practicalities such as how to discern and document faith values; how to integrate them in investment policies and guidelines; best practice governance structures; and essential tips for ongoing communication about, and reporting on, the FCI programme.


It also includes four case studies from a variety of faith traditions to provide real world examples of leading FCI programmes and how they have applied their beliefs, teachings and values to their investment practices. 

 

'This guide provides faith groups with a very actionable road map to help them more closely align their values and investment policies,' says Zellner, who previously who managed more than US$26 billion in faith-owned investments during 27 years as CIO of Wespath Benefits and Investments. 'This is an invaluable resource for

individuals responsible for managing faith-based assets, from trustees and senior management to finance and investment staff.'


Download the report, From Faith Values to Investment: A guide to faith-consistent investment policy and guidelines for institutional faith-based asset owners, below.


Notes for editor

FaithInvest is an international, not-for-profit organisation serving religious groups and faith-based investors. We were founded in 2019 to help faith groups to invest in line with their values. We support the rapidly growing movement of faiths and faith-based asset owners actively using their investments to create a better world – for people and planet. We do not provide investment advice or make investment decisions for faith groups. www.faithinvest.org

 

  1. In 2021, Iyad Abumoghli, director of the United Nations Environment Programme's Faith for Earth Initiative, described faith groups as as 'the third-largest economic power on Earth'.

  2. 'Globally faith-based investors control trillions in assets'. The Oxford Faith-Aligned Impact Finance Project at the Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, mapped 360 organisations  across the world in the Abrahamic and Dharmic traditions, with identified total net assets valued at approximately US$5 trillion. This is thought to be the most extensive research ever undertaken into this area.

  3. New faith-based funds, apps and screening tools announced in recent weeks:







 
 

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Disclaimer

FaithInvest is an international nonprofit organisation that empowers faith groups to invest in line with their beliefs and values. FaithInvest is not authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority and does not provide financial or investment advice. Information provided on FaithInvest’s website or its other communication channels does not constitute financial or investment advice. If you wish to receive any form of financial or investment advice, please consult a qualified and independent financial advisor. You should conduct your own due diligence in relation to any investment opportunities or strategies you choose to pursue. FaithInvest does not promote any specific investments or opportunities and cannot therefore accept responsibility for any specific financial or investment decisions you make following participation on its website platform.

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