Press release, 12 April 2024: After a successful first online course on faith-consistent investing in February 2024, which filled up early due to demand, international non-profit FaithInvest has scheduled a second four-week training, beginning May 7.
And we have a Spring Offer – 15% off the tuition cost: register by April 19!
While there is growing interest in faith-based investing, only a tiny handful of courses on the issue exist, mostly aimed at Christian individuals or finance professionals. Faithful Finance: An Introduction to Aligning your Investments with Faith Values is the first live-taught online course that is aimed specifically at faith-based organisations and suitable for all religious traditions.
The course, which covers the foundational principles of faith-consistent investing (FCI), from concepts and strategies to the steps to begin or deepen the FCI journey, was praised by participants for giving them the confidence and skills to address this issue – which can often seem daunting at first.
More confident
Many said they felt more confident about getting involved in discussions with investment advisors or managers: 'The course has empowered me to embody the knowledge and own what we are about as a congregation,' said one participant. Another added: 'The whole area is not as daunting as I had imagined it to be, hence my shift in confidence.'
This was precisely the outcome we'd hoped for and one of the main reasons why we developed the course, says Mathew Jensen, CFA, FaithInvest's Director of FCI Programmes.
'Asking whether your money reflects your values is a really important question for faith organisations but addressing it can be a challenge,' he says.
'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 governance, policies, and mandates? Sometimes the financial industry itself can be complex and, frankly, intimidating.'
Delivered in four dynamic and engaging 90-minute sessions, the course sets out to overcome some of these complexities and enable faith groups to ensure their investments reflect their mission and their values.
‘As a multi-faith offering with a focus on practical application, this course represents a novel development in the field of FCI education, and we were delighted with the enthusiasm and engagement of our first group of participants,’ says Mathew Jensen. 'We can't wait to spread the learning to other faith-based organisations in our second course next month.'
15% off Spring Offer
The course costs £295 per person but FaithInvest has a Spring Offer rate of £250 per person for anyone booking by Friday 19 April. A limited number of bursaries/tuition waivers are also available for eligible participants.
We welcome all faith traditions. Visit Faithinvest.org/training to find out more.