Since its official recognition in 1987, Women’s History Month has been a time to lift up and celebrate women’s roles and contributions throughout history and throughout all sectors of society, including the church.
In the United Church of Christ (UCC), women hold prominent leadership positions, serving as clergy, chaplains, seminary professors, advocates for justice, and even General Minister and President. The Rev. Dr. Karen Georgia Thompson is the first woman and first woman of African descent in that role.
“I am honored to be the first woman elected as General Minister and President of the UCC, and I stand on the shoulders of the remarkable women who paved the way for this moment. The UCC remains steadfast in its commitment to supporting women, advancing gender justice and creating pathways for women to lead. We will continue our work to promote equity, especially in addressing clergy salaries and ensuring women have access to thriving churches,” said Rev. Thompson.
At United Church Funds (UCF), we actively assess our leadership structures and strive for women to continue to serve in critical leadership roles. In 2024, 50% of our staff and 59% of our Board of Directors members were female. UCF’s current Board Chair, the Rev. Penny Lowes, is a woman, as were her two immediate predecessors, the Rev. Kathy Dwyer and Dr. Edith Guffey.
“As we celebrate Women’s History Month, I reflect with pride on my leadership journey at UCF — from chairing the Sustainable and Responsible Investment Committee to serving as chair of the UCF Board. My story is one of many that affirm UCF’s commitment to valuing expertise, vision and dedication regardless of gender,” said Rev. Lowes.
She added, “Women in leadership don’t just strengthen UCF; they expand our reach to all UCC ministries and the diverse world we serve, amplify our impact and drive meaningful change. With women in leadership positions in recent years, UCF has demonstrated growth in the brave embrace of groundbreaking sustainable and responsible investment strategies. With women as equal partners, we have edged forward in ways previously not considered and thrived. The future is limitless when leadership reflects various talents and perspectives. I look forward to seeing UCF continue to elevate qualified and diverse leaders.”
UCF is also an advocate for the inclusion of women in the corporate C-suite and boardroom. We believe that diverse management and boards are in a better position to make decisions and set policies that foster employee satisfaction and retention, encourage improvement and innovation and drive strong financial returns and lower risk profiles.
We integrate gender equity into our investment strategies through these approaches:
- Shareholder Advocacy: We engage corporations in setting fair and equitable workplace policies around pay equity, living wages, discrimination and gender-based violence.
- Proxy Voting: Investors vote on electing corporate board members, and UCF generally votes against directors when a board is not reasonably diverse as defined on a country-by-country basis.
- Investment Screening: Companies that do not meet minimum thresholds for upholding human rights are restricted from UCF portfolios.
Women’s History Month falls in March, but the work continues year-round. We remain committed to using our voice and investments to champion diversity and equality in leadership, and we invite you to join us in this journey.
Learn more about our responsible investing initiatives.
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