Faithful Finance: An introduction to aligning your investments with faith values

International non-profit FaithInvest has developed a ground-breaking course aimed at equipping faith groups with the knowledge and tools needed to align their investment policies and strategies with their deeply held faith values.

There has been a huge growth of interest in faith-based investing1 in recent years as religious organisations and individuals increasingly seek to reflect their values in their finances.

However, very few courses on faith-based investing exist, and most are aimed at individual Christian investors or finance professionals.

FaithInvest’s new course, Faithful Finance: An Introduction to Aligning your Investments with Faith Values, is the first live-taught, online course aimed specifically at faith-based organisations of all religious traditions.

Delivered in four 90-minute sessions, at a fee of £295 per person, the course covers key topics such as:

• The foundational principles of faith-consistent investing (FCI)

• The merits and challenges of empowering assets with purpose

• How to engage with financial intermediaries with clarity and confidence

Mathew Jensen, CFA, FaithInvest’s Director of FCI Programmes, said: ‘Asking whether your money reflects your values is a really important question for faith organisations but addressing it can be a challenge.

‘How do you go about it? How do you talk to your consultant or your investment manager about the values you want to express in your investments? How do they show up in your policies, and mandates? Sometimes the financial industry itself can be complex and, frankly, intimidating.

‘At FaithInvest we understand those challenges. We have worked with many organisations on this challenge of faith-consistent investing, and we’re here to help you.’

At a time when the climate crisis presents pressing challenges and the Sustainable Development Goals set ambitious targets, the intent and strategy behind our investments has become more crucial than ever, according to FaithInvest CEO Dr Lorna Gold.

‘Faith and finance, often seen as separate spheres, have tremendous potential when combined. Our aim is to help faith investors to realise that their investments can be a powerful expression of their faith and, when faith-aligned, can help to create a more just and sustainable world,’ she said.

‘Ethical and sustainable investing is gaining traction worldwide. Faith groups, with their vast assets and commitment to bettering the world, play a crucial role in this movement. Our goal is to ensure that faith-based investors feel empowered, confident, and equipped to make investment decisions that reflect their beliefs.’

Practicalities:

• The first course runs from 28 February to 20 March 2024

• Cost: £295 per person. A limited number of bursaries are available

• More information: Visit www.faithinvest.org/training

Notes for editor

FaithInvest is an international, not-for-profit organisation that serves faith organisations seeking to invest in line with their values to achieve environmental and social impact. www.faithinvest.org 

1Faith-based investing on the rise as world grows more chaotic, Investment News, 3 Nov 2023

Media contacts

• Susie Weldon, Director of Communications
  weldon@faithinvest.org | UK-based | +44 1749 870057 | +44 797 0466 830 (mobile)

• Steven Owen, Strategic Marketing & Communications
  owen@faithinvest.org | US-based | +1 781 910 9260 (mobile)

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Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Religion News Association.