approaching the faith-based market using stewardship investing to build your business
TRANSCRIPT
Socially responsible investing
• Definition: Investment decision-making process that considers social and environmental implications
• Often takes the form of negative screens
• Perceived “activist” focus
Faith-based investing
• Definition: A form of investing that considers religious faith teachings to guide or influence investment decisions
• Looks at why these issues are important
• Can be “another door”
Stewardship investing
• Definition: An investment decision-making process rooted in a faith-based understanding of holistic stewardship
• Focuses on our responsibilities as stewards of God’s resources
• Meshes financial and social responsibility in single process
Varied Religious Perspectives
• Some well-known names have arisen in the area of religion and finance
• Primary attention on personal budgets and debt reduction
• Many continue to advocate separating religious faith and investment decisions
• “Morality” or ”sin” issues dominate limited social considerations
MMA’s third way
• MMA believes faith-based investors are interested in more than is commonly understood
• Religious beliefs should be incorporated in all parts of your life
• We’ve been doing it for over a half century
How MMA does it
• The three pillars of Stewardship Investing– Company selection– Shareholder advocacy– Community Development Investing (CDI)
• Rooted in a holistic understanding of a socially-engaged Christian faith
Why a faith-based approach could be important to you
• MMA’s 2001 Investor survey
• MMA’s 2002 Religious Fund Study
• Cultural Creatives
• Stock ownership responsibilities
• A culture that expects to combine faith and finances
• Commitment to stewardship
2001 investor survey
Combine faith and finances
20%
17%
19%4%
40%
Always/usuallySometimesWould like toDon't come into playDon't know
2001 investor survey
Likelihood of investing in religous mutual funds
4%
26%
21%
10%
39%
Very likely
Somewhat likely
Not very likely
Not at all likely
Don't know
Growth of religious mutual funds relative to all funds
0 50 100 150
Religious Funds
All Funds
Assets
Number
121%
21%
16%11%
Cultural Creatives & Faith-based Investing
• They are people who want to integrate spirituality into all of life
• Interested in multiple social movements
• Reject traditional media
• Prime candidates for faith-based investing
• One of the best ways to reach them– Wear your values on your sleeve
Combining faith and finance
• Advisers are trained to understand three things about their clients:– Goals– Risk tolerance– Time horizon
Combining faith and finance
• MMA advocates adding a fourth element
• Your client’s ethical profile– Would you like your faith (or spiritual)
values considered when I develop my investment recommendations?
Why you should include Faith-based Investing
• Survey shows majority of investors think it is important
• Many would participate if they knew more about it
Why you should include faith-based investing
• To establish your uniqueness
• To gain client loyalty and trust
• To open a new opportunities for market growth
Our Challenge to You
• Offer every client an opportunity to align faith values and investment decisions.
• Present another “door” to draw people to socially engaged investing
• Watch what happens!
Tools to help you
• Engage Your Faith brochure• Religious Investor Survey booklet• MMA and MMA Praxis annual reports• Community Development Investing brochure• Stewardship Investing philosophy & guidelines• Shareholder advocacy reports• MMA Praxis prospectus• MMA and MMA Praxis web sites