FaithInvest launches the third round of its popular online course, Faithful Finance: An Introduction to Aligning Investments with Faith Values, on October 29 – after 100% of previous participants surveyed said they would recommend the training.
There has been a huge growth of interest in faith-consistent investing in recent years as faith groups – which have been described as the ‘third largest economic power on earth’ (1) – increasingly seek to reflect their values in their finances.
But putting values-driven investing into practice can seem daunting at first – and FaithInvest's own research shows that nearly half of faith groups do not even mention their faith in their investment policy (2).
This groundbreaking course is the first live-taught online training aimed specifically at faith-based organisations of all religious traditions. It is designed to give faith groups practical tools and strategies to integrate their faith principles into their investment strategies, enabling them to manage assets in ways that align with their faith beliefs.
The previous two rounds were very well received and we are delighted to report that all past participants surveyed said they would recommend this course. Comments included:
'[The course] has empowered me to embody the knowledge and own what we are about as a congregation.'
'The confidence it has given me to feel more able to get involved in discussions with our investment advisors.'
'The whole area is not as daunting as I had imagined it to be, hence my shift in confidence.'
'I am more confident that it is possible and profitable (financially and in terms of meeting the goals of our organisation) to make investments in line with our faith values. I now have more tools to help to make this a reality for our organisation.'
'I am now more convinced that the way to go today is to root our faith values in all that we do, including our investments, to make an impact.'
FaithInvest's Executive Chair Dave Zellner said: 'Faithful Finance is about creating a framework that helps organisations stay true to their mission through their investments while contributing to a sustainable future.
'We are delighted to offer the third round of this course to meet the growing need from faith communities for guidance on aligning their investments with their core faith beliefs.
'This course equips faith organisations with the knowledge and tools to make investment choices that are both financially sound and aligned with their moral and ethical commitments.'
Key features of Faithful Finance: An Introduction to Aligning Investments with Faith Values include live sessions, engaging discussions, and breakout groups to ensure participants can collaborate and learn from one another.
Module Highlights:
Week 1: Exploring the foundational principles of faith-consistent investing.
Week 2: Tackling challenges in aligning investments with faith values.
Week 3: Practical steps for integrating faith values into investment policies.
Week 4: Long-term strategies for maintaining faith-consistent investments.
The course, which runs from October 29 and to November 18, is designed for faith-based organisations, with content tailored to employees, board or committee members, and volunteers involved with the faith organisation’s financial management or oversight.
The cost is £295 per person; a limited number of bursaries are available. Spaces are limited, so participants are encouraged to sign up early. Visit www.faithinvest.org/training, or email training@faithinvest.org for more information.
If you are interested in joining our course and you work for asset managers, as a consultant, or with a non-governmental organisation or a non-faith non-profit, please contact us at training@faithinvest.org. We'd love to hear from you!
Notes for editor:
FaithInvest is a non-profit organisation founded to support all faiths to invest in line with their values, for the benefit of people and planet. www.faithinvest.org
(1) Collectively faith groups have trillions of dollars of investments and other assets and have been described as the third-largest economic power on Earth'.
(2) FaithInvest's research shows that just over half of faith groups (55%) mention their faith in their investment policy.