BRIDGING THE GAP MASTERCLASS

FOR PEOPLE
AND PLANET

BRIDGING THE GAP

A MASTERCLASS IN ENGAGING FAITH-BASED INVESTORS EFFECTIVELY

Accepted
by the CFP® Board for 2.0 CE credits

There has been a huge growth of interest in values-driven, faith-consistent investing in recent years. But all too often, lack of understanding has left a divide between investment professionals and faith-based investors. Our interactive seminars for industry professionals provide the tools and insights needed to engage effectively with the rapidly expanding faith-based investment market.

(Looking for our four-week Faithful Finance course for faith-based organisations? You'll find it here.)

ENGAGING THE FAST GROWING FAITH-CONSISTENT INVESTING SECTOR

The faith-driven investment market is expanding rapidly, with faith-based asset owners managing trillions of dollars globally. Yet many investment professionals struggle to understand and engage with faith-based investors effectively.

Faith-consistent investing is evolving fast. Today’s faith-based investors have moved beyond exclusions and expect transformative impact. They are aligning their portfolios with their faith values, often prioritising the UN's Sustainable Development Goals and addressing systemic risks.

To meet this demand, financial professionals must build trust, deepen their understanding of faith values, and develop tailored investment solutions. Yet all too often, faith-based asset owners tell us of gaps in communication and understanding that creates divides and leaves both sides struggling to translate religious values into actionable investment strategies.

That's why we are launching a new programme of two-hour interactive, online masterclasses to equip investment professionals with the insights, tools and strategies to serve this growing sector effectively.

We've assembled an excellent faculty with outstanding experience and expertise to deliver the class, and we're delighted to announce that the Masterclass has been accepted by the CFP® Board for 2.0 Continuing Education credits for Certified Financial Planner™ professionals upon its completion.

'There’s a perception that the religious sector and the investment industry speak entirely different languages. Our goal is to bridge that divide and provide industry professionals with the understanding and strategies they need to engage meaningfully with this audience'

– Dave Zellner, FaithInvest Executive
Chair and former CIO, Wespath

Accepted
by the CFP® Board for 2.0 CE credits

Faith-based investing isn’t just a niche – it’s a growing movement shaping the future of finance. Are you ready to position yourself as a leader in faith-consistent investing?

ABOUT THE MASTERCLASS

Delivered via a two-hour, interactive, online seminar
Features an outstanding faculty of speakers with extensive experience and expertise
Designed to give investment professionals a comprehensive understanding of faith-driven investing, including:
- Faith-based investor priorities
- Different perspectives on investing among diverse faith traditions
- Practical engagement skills tailored to faith-based investors
- Translating values into actionable investment decisions
- Case studies and real-world applications
Download the Syllabus Outline opposite for more information
Approved by the CFP® Board for 2.0 CE Credits
Cost £500 per person
20% discount for three or more participants from the same organisation
First classes scheduled for September. Choice of Tuesday September 9 or Tuesday September 23 (see below for times and registration details).

SYLLABUS OUTLINE

DOWNLOAD

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN

By the end of this course, you will:

Gain greater knowledge of the faith investment sector
Be better able to position yourself as a trusted advisor

Develop strategies to better serve faith-based investors and understand their financial priorities.

Enhance your engagement skills, enabling more effective, longer lasting client relationships

Unlock new business opportunities in one of this fast-growing sector in responsible investing

Strengthen your impact investing expertise, moving beyond traditional ESG approaches to more faith-aligned strategies.

WHO WILL BENEFIT?

This masterclass is valuable for investment industry professionals including:

Investment advisors and portfolio managers looking to expand their client base.
Financial planners and relationship managers engaging with faith-based clients

Investment analysts seeking insights into the ethical investing landscape

Business development teams within financial firms looking to create faith-aligned investment solutions

Anyone interested in values-based finance who wants to add faith-aligned investing to their expertise

MEET OUR FACULTY

MARK BATEMAN

Managing Director/Director of ESG/SRI Research, Aperio (part of Blackrock)

Mark Bateman helped create Aperio’s approach to customising values-aligned portfolios. With over 30 years in the ESG industry, he started his career at the Investor Responsibility Research Center (IRRC) and also served on the original steering committee of the Global Reporting Initiative, helping to develop standards for sustainability disclosure.

MIKE EVEN

Trustee, FaithInvest; former Global CIO for Citigroup Asset Management

Mike Even has more than 35 years of experience in the investment industry. He was Chairman and CEO at Man Numeric Investors, and spent nine years at Citigroup, becoming global CIO for, and co-head of, Citigroup Asset Management. There he oversaw investment teams managing $500B in client assets. He co-founded FaithInvest, and is a Trustee.

KATIE MCCLOSKEY

Vice President of Social Responsibility, Mercy Investment Services

Katie McCloskey joined Mercy Investment Services, the investment ministry of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, in 2020. Previously, she was director of social responsibility at United Church Funds, a faith-based investor in New York, and as corporate social responsibility director at the Pension Boards-United Church of Christ, Inc.

DAVE ZELLNER

Executive Chair, FaithInvest; former CIO for Wespath Benefits & Investments

Before assuming the Executive Chair role in September 2004, Dave Zellner was Chief Investment Officer for more than 27 years at Wespath Benefits & Investments, where he steered the management of more than US$25B in assets for over 100,000 participants and 150 United Methodist institutions. He has been Chair of Trustees at FaithInvest since 2019.

CATHERINE DEVITT

Programme Manager,

FaithInvest

COURSE FACILITATOR

Catherine Devitt leads FaithInvest's programme on faith beliefs, teachings and values. With a background in environmental policy and faith-based engagement, she brings expertise in the intersection of spirituality, ecology and social justice. She has worked with the Irish Jesuit Province on faith and environmental justice, and lectured at University College Dublin,.

PARTNERING WITH VALUESADVISOR

We are delighted to be partnering with ValuesAdvisor, as co-sponsor of this Masterclass. ValuesAdvisor is a nonprofit devoted to helping investors, foundations, and endowments move to impact investing and to help create the world we want to see. It works with networks and organisations that support individuals and institutions wanting to align their money with their values. It provides a platform enabling organisations to find financial advisors specialising in values-aligned investing.

ACCEPTED BY THE CFP® BOARD FOR CE CREDITS

Participants completing the Masterclass will be awarded 2.0 Continuing Education (CE) credits for Certified Financial Planner™ professionals by the CFP Board®. For 50 years, Certified Financial Planner® certification has been the standard of excellence for financial planners. CFP Board CE credits enhance professional skills, build trust and credibility and ensure practitioners are staying up-to-date with industry changes. CFP professionals are required to complete 30 CE credits every two years.

The Masterclass provides:

2.0 CE Credits
Download the course objectives.
After completing the course and meeting the assessment requirements, your CE credits will be reported directly to the CFP Board within 14 business days.

DATES & REGISTRATION

The Masterclasses go live in September and cost £500 per person. There is a 20% discount for participants signing up from the same organisation for three or more people. (Option to pay in dollars or euros available; exchange rate automatically calculated at time of payment by our payment platform, Stripe.)

The first two classes have been scheduled for:

Tuesday September 9
- 07:00-09:00 PT | 10:00-12:00 ET | 15:00-17:00 BST
Tuesday September 23
- 10:00-12:00 PT | 13:00-15:00 ET | 18:00-20:00 BST

REGISTER NOW

'Unlocking the faith-driven investment market requires trust, understanding, and alignment with ethical and financial goals. The right approach can lead to both business growth and meaningful social change.'
– Dave Zellner, FaithInvest Executive Chair and former CIO, Wespath

FOR PEOPLE AND PLANET