Welcome to 3iG: The International Interfaith Investment Group

and international dialogue and cooperation.

The International Interfaith Investment Group

The mission of 3iG is to contribute to a just and
sustainable society through responsible investment in
a spirit of genuine interfaith dialogue and co-operation.

RECENT NEWS

23 January 2011
Journal of Business Ethics first academic journals to
publish Faith Investing
The Journal of Business Ethics, a reputable international
scientific journal on humanities, social sciences and law,
has published a paper named ‘From Preaching to Investing:
Attitudes of Religious Organisations Towards Responsible
Investment. Click here to read more.

1 October 2011
Churches join forces to hold companies to high ethical standards
3iG Executive Board Member Rev Séamus Finn was amongst the high-level participants at the Church Investor Group event in Paris in September 2011. A strong request for joining forces – as investors – to hold companies to high ethical standards was expressed among the participants. Experiences and best practices were shared in the field of shareholder engagement. Amongst the issues of shareholder activism were environmental issues with the oil and gas sector and human trafficking / sales of pornography with the hotel industry. For more information, please contact us through info@3ignet.org

7 September 2011
Faith Investing versus Responsible Investing
3iG and its academic partners have joined forces with Responsible Investors.com to gain and provide insight between the responsible investment community and faith consistent investors. Find out more information under ‘EVENTS’ below and sign up for an interesting event and related activities. Get insight in the current status of faith investing, how faith institutions practice shareholder engagement, what motivators / barriers exist to invest according to theological beliefs and what tools are available to make a next step in Faith Consistent Investing.

13 May 2011
Use investments to support your mission
The Mistra Foundation has published a report on how leading European foundations use their investments to support their mission and the greater good. Please find the example of the Church of Sweden here and the full report named '360-degrees for mission' here.

16 February 2011
Japan’s religions should become aware of SRI
In the Japanese journal ‘Dharma World’ an interview with 3iG advisor Ms. Mizue Tsukushi, founder and president of Japan’s first independent investment advisory company, sheds light on CSR and SRI in Japan and the involvement of the Japanese religious community. Click here to read the full interview.

3 November 2010
Research booklet now electronically available
You can now freely access the practitioners report “From Faith to Faith Consistent Investing, Religious Institutions and their Investment Practices”. As you might have noticed, the religious media has spent a lot of attention to this unique scientific research and the feedback we received reveals the need for more understanding of the potentials of faith consistent investing and impact investing. Please access the research report by clicking here.

26 July 2010
Faith institutions find responsible investment an uphill
struggle
New research carried out by the International Interfaith
Investment Group 3iG, along with ESADE business school in
Spain and Vlerick Leuven School of Management in Belgium,
has revealed that religious institutions find it difficult
to invest responsibly whilst maintaining a strategy that
fits in with their beliefs. Click here to read the full
press release.

15 July 2010
Order now: Religious Institutions and their Investment
Practices
This practitioners report highlights the results of the
study of over 100 religious institutions and their
investment practices. Click here to read more.

News history

29 May 2010
3iG Executive Board Member, Seamus Finn, OMI, Profiled in the Huffington Post
Fr. Seamus Finn, Director of the Oblate JPIC Office and 3iG Executive Board member, along with three ICCR members, will soon appear on The Daily Show, highlighting their work on banking and financial sector reform. Read this fine profile on Fr. Seamus in the Huffington Post written by Katherine Marshall, Senior Fellow at the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs at Georgetown University: Mission Improbable: Priests on Wall Street by clicking here.

21 May 2010
Bishop from Chili and Shareholder of an Italian energy company; an opportunity for change
An interesting example of how one of the 3iG members has been closely involved in a practicing shareholder engagement. A Chilean bishop mons. Luis Infanti De La Mora has asked Enel, at their Annual General Meeting, to give back the water rights to the people. Consistent to his faith, the bishop called upon the company to make an historic shift and “….Show respect to Patagonia. But develop here also in Italy and Europe, with great force and conviction, a culture of life and austerity, to cultivate greater respect and solidarity towards the poor and towards underdeveloped countries, and to foster a restrained use of water, food, energy and of all the goods of creation…”

Click here to read the full speech in English

14 May 2010
European Christian Value Index launched
End of April, STOXX Limited, a global index provider and creator of the leading European equity indices, announced the launch of the STOXX Europe Christian Index. The new index measures the performance of companies selected from the STOXX Europe 600 Index according to the values and principles of the Christian religion. One of 3iGs members to the network is involved in the screening and selection process. Please click here for the Stoxx announcement and here for information on the screening criteria.

4 May 2010
Making good society
The Carnegie UK Trust investigates areas of public concern to influence policy and practice, in the interest of democracy, civil society and social justice. Today, they have published Making good society. This report of the Commission of Inquiry into the Future of Civil Society, argues that civil society has been pushed to the margins in key areas including politics, finance and the media and that this must change. The report explores how civil society activity can help: grow a more civil economy; enable a rapid and just transition to a low carbon economy; democratise media ownership and content; and grow participatory and deliberative democracy. 3iG is mentioned as a best practice: “Working collectively as illustrated by 3iG, and through investor coalitions [,….], civil society associations can pool their financial and moral clout to strengthen their power and voice.” (page 76). Click here to read the full report.

29 April 2010
3iG member active in Chili
Luis Infanti De La Mora, Bishop of Aysén region (Chile),
will attend Enel's Annual General Meeting today to say "no"
to a project for the construction of five big dams on the
rivers Baker and Pascua, and to get Chilean water back in
public hands. The Bishop will be delegated by the
Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate , by initiative of
Fondazione Culturale Responsabilità Etica. Click here to
read the full article.

22 April 2010
3iG Publishes Q2 Update
Please find attached the 3iG Update of the second quarter of 2010. Today, Earth Day, is a good day to think of how your investments can support a sustainable and green Earth.
We thank those that have joined and supported 3iG in Q1, 2010 and look forward to welcoming new religious members to our network in Q2! MORE INFORMATION>>

21 April 2010
Nuns, Reverends Urge Derivative Disclosure
Citigroup Inc. (C) shareholders rejected a resolution
put forward by the Maryknoll Sisters and several other
investors, urging the bank to disclose by Dec. 1 its
policies on securing collateral for the derivatives they
use in order to mitigate risk, and for using customer funds
for other speculative activities. Derivatives are complex
financial instruments that played a large role in the 2008
financial crisis. Click here to read the full article.

22 March 2010
The seven deadly sins of excessive pay
The UK and Irish Christian communities have put their weight behind efforts to rein in executive pay, drawing up seven recommendations to guide investors and help them challenge senior corporate management. Click here to read the full article.

18 February 2010
3iG Publishes Preliminary Results from FCI Research
The faith consistent investment research investigates investment practices of diverse faith institutions across the world and provide numbers and types of assets, as well as the barriers and enablers to faith consistent investing. The preliminary results are the most basic results. Available soon, the detailed research report!

26 January 2010
3iG Publishes 7 Steps Implementation Guide
To support faith groups at implementing FCI, 3iG has developed a 7 step guide to help faith institutions take steps towards integrating their faith beliefs into their investment policy. To request a copy of the guide, please visit our resources section of the website or share your interest by emailing the central team at info@3iGnet.org

20 January 2010
3iG Publishes Q1 Update
Please find attached the 3iG Update for Q1 2010. A fresh
start of the New Year with a new design and many new
projects and events! It includes the announcement of a new
tool; the ‘7 Steps to Faith Consistent Investing, an
implementation guide for faith institutions’.
Thank you for your support in the last quarter and looking
forward to receiving your feedback again in the next. MORE INFORMATION>>

19 November 2009
Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN)
3iG would like to point out the launch of Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN). The GIIN is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to building the infrastructure, activities, education, and research that will enable more effective impact investing around the world. To learn more, please click here.

7 November 2009
Online Survey – Faith Consistent Investing
3iG alongside ESADE and Vlerick business schools, is conducting a global research study on Faith Consistent Investing. We encourage all financial representatives of faith institutions to participate in this online survey. Only completed surveys from faith institutions will be taken into account. Please complete the online survey by clicking here.

22 October 2009
3iG Welcomes 4 new Central Team members
Erin Prelypchan, Christophe Bochetay, Rupert Melson, and Takashi Tsutsumi join the Central Team at 3iG as project managers. You can read more about their backgrounds and roles on the CENTRAL TEAM>> page.

24 June 2009
"Money, God, Morals?" Times Online
3iG co-organized a conference at the London Central Mosque, where 130 Muslims, Jews, Christians, Hindus, and Buddhists, met to discuss faith and investing. MORE INFORMATION>>

11 February 2009
Companies, Communities and Religious Investors - a conference on socially responsible investment
Multinational companies increasingly affect the lives of all of us. How can religious communities and people of faith use their role as investors to promote corporate responsibility and improve companies' impacts on sustainability and justice? A coalition of churches and faith groups are holding an ecumenical and interfaith one-day conference on Thursday 5 March 2009 at All Hallows College, Dublin, Ireland. Entrance is free; all are welcome.

Organisers include ECCR, 3iG, Trócaire, Missionary Society of St Columban, Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, Religious Society of Friends in Ireland, Christian Aid Ireland and the Inter-Church Committee on Social Issues.

For more details contact Helen Boothroyd, helen.boothroyd@eccr.org.uk, tel. 01325 580028.

DOWNLOAD CONFERENCE PROGRAMME>>
DOWNLOAD CONFERENCE POSTER>>

EVENTS

4 October 2011, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
ESG Europe and Faith Investing
3iG will host a session and allow for research on Faith Investing at Responsible Investors’ ESG Europe 2011 conference. During this conference, there will be several activities related to Faith Consistent Investing. What is the current status of faith investing, how do faith institutions practice shareholder engagement, what motivators / barriers exist to invest according to your theological beliefs and what tools are available to make a next step in Faith Consistent Investing are amongst the topics to be discussed. Please contact the 3iG staff for free access to the conference and dinner. For the full programme, please click here.

26 May 2011, Cascais, Portugal
Responsible investment: Titanic struggle or voyage of discovery?
At the European Foundation Centre Annual General Assembly, 3iG will share information on faith based organisation’s involvement in Responsible Investment, their key challenges, potential solutions and tools and some examples. Session Date: Thursday 26 May, 16.30 hrs. Click here to find the full programme.

18 November 2010, London
Positive Impact Investing
What is the potential of positive impact investment to help meet the social and environmental challenges that humanity faces while still generating sound financial returns? Please click here to read more about this interesting ECCR session.

30 November – 1 December 2010
Impact Investing Forum
3iG will be presenting religious investors and impact investing at the international forum in London. Impact Investing has the potential to become a powerful force when addressing global challenges. Emerging as a hybrid of philanthropy and private equity, a growing group of investors around the world is seeking to make investments that will generate social and environmental value as well as a return on capital — and sometimes a rather large return. Click here for more information.

1-3 December 2010
Morals and Banking, Antwerp, Belgium
This international conference explores the question how modern banking practices can be reconciled with moral values. The conference programme will be clustered around three main themes: integrity and trust in the banking sector, socially responsible banking (SRI, religiously inspired banking, microfinances, and cooperative banking) and financial crises in the small and in the large.

3iG will be presenting the results of its global Faith Consistent Investment research within the ‘Religious responsible banking’ theme. Please find the call for presentations here.

7&8 December 2010
SRI and Financial Reporting, Transparency
3iG will be presenting at this conference organized by Yale University, New Haven, USA, together with the Global Financial Integrity, a Washington-based NGO. The aim is to bring together experts in corporate social responsibility with the illicit financial flows community. The purposes of this event is to exchange analyses, insights, and agendas toward achieving greater transparency and justice in the international financial system. Please click here for the tentative programme.

History of events

13 October 2010
Investing in a sustainable future – the role of faith
At the upcoming National Ethical Investment Week, London, UK, Christian organisations and investment institutions will discuss how Christians and their church organisations can apply their principles through their savings and investment decisions. Click here to read more.

26 June 2010
A Christian values perspective on the recent financial crisis andethical investing
At the upcoming Faith and Public Policy breakfast in McLean, Virginia, USA, 3iG will address the Lewinsville Presbyterian Church, Topics such as a Christian perspectives of the global financial crisis , shareholder engagement and ethical investing are on the agenda. The discussion will be on how faith values relate to these public policy. Please stay updated by clicking here.

21-22 March 2010
Building A Better World: New Horizons – Sound Strategies, Doha, Qatar
3iG will present at the 3rd World Congress of Muslim Philanthropists held in Doha, Qatar in March. The conference, now recognized as the most prestigious forum on Muslim philanthropy worldwide, will focus on how the integrated efforts of philanthropic, public and private sectors can effectively respond to the worsening global issues of hunger, poverty, disease, climate change and conflict. The forum will also host interactive roundtable discussions on Aid-effectiveness and Impediments to Building Capacity for Transformational Change. To further elucidate the theme the conference will feature a special session on emerging markets philanthropy and global trends in giving. For more information click here.

Thursday, February 18th 2010 - 16:00 CET
Teleconference: Mission Investing – What can smaller sized faith institutions learn from foundations and NGOs?
‘Save the Date’ for 3iG’s next teleconference! 3iG’s teleconference hopes for the faith institutions to learn about Mission Investing from the experience and knowledge of the foundations. Stephen Viederman, former President of the Noyes Foundation and Lisa Hagerman, Director of More for Mission are guest speakers. To receive call details please email info@3iGnet.org

18 January 2010
Banking & Business Crisis - Does Islam and Judaism have the answer?
The event will take place at the Edgware District Reform Synagogue in Middlesex. Imranali Panjwani and Rabbi Mark Goldsmith will give insight into their faith's attitude on conducting business using, in part, the sacred texts of the Torah and the Holy Quran. For more information, click here.

3-9 December 2009
Parliament of the World’s Religions, Melbourne
3iG is organising an interreligious practical session at the Parliament of the World’s Religions conference in Melbourne. On Monday morning 7 December representatives of several religions connected to the 3iG network will discuss faith consistent investing in a post financial crisis world. Full article

1 December 2009
Pooled Funds: The Opportunity for Responsible Investment
3iG wishes to mention to its members that the EIRIS Foundation is hosting an informative seminar on Tuesday, December 1st for charity investors, exploring the opportunities for charities and foundations to invest responsibly whilst investing in pooled funds. To learn more, and reserve your place: http://www.eiris.org

12-13 November 2009
TBLI Conference in Amsterdam
3iG wishes to point out this special event on socially responsible investing as it has proven to be very interesting for faith institutions hoping to progress in the field of SRI.
For years, 3iG has contributed to the TBLI conferences and is excited to participate in this year’s event. 3iG encourages the faith institutions to participate! More information can be found at: http://tbliconference.com

8-14 November 2009
National Ethical Investment Week (NEIW)
3iG is a supporter of National Ethic Investment Week, a campaign to ensure that everyone is aware of the green and ethical options when it comes to their finance and investment decisions. Green and ethical investments allow you to have a positive impact on the environment and society, while still making as good a return as with other investments. To learn more and get involved, please read more: http://www.neiw.org/node/239

4 November 2009
Many Heavens, One Earth: Faith Commitments for a Living Planet
3iG, together with faith leaders from around the globe, Prince Phillip, His Excellency Mr. Ban Ki Moon, ARC, and many more organizations met in Windsor to discuss long term initiatives to protect the living planet. To read more about the event and the commitment of 3iG, click here.

16 June 2009
Faith in Capitalism Conference in London
16 June 2009, 09:30 - 12:30: Islamic Cultural Centre - London Central Mosque, Regents Park, London. MORE INFORMATION>>

27-28 May 2009
3iG Seminar in Yokohama on Faith-Consistent Investing
27 and 28 May 2009: 3iG cooperates with TBLI Conference, in organizing a seminar on Faith-Consistent Investment for 3iG members and stakeholders. MORE INFORMATION>>

'If you are able to think of business when you are praying, you should be able to think of your prayers when doing business'
Kossover Rebbe
Order research report here

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3iG: The International Interfaith Investment Group