As we approach a presidential election and a possible shift in the balance of powers, we are taking note of efforts to weaken tools that hold corporations accountable. We assure our clients and our partners that United Church Funds (UCF) is committed to leveraging our voice in support of responsible and sustainable investors everywhere.
“Responsible investing is central to our mission of helping our client churches and organizations uphold the values of the United Church of Christ in making their investment decisions,” said Charles Buck, UCF President & CEO.
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued a policy recommendation (S7-23-19) that makes it more difficult for investors to get their voices heard. While this ruling would primarily impact investors with smaller account positions than UCF, we support our responsible investing partners who insist that this legislation be overturned.
The Department of Labor (DOL) oversees all pension and retirement plans and recently proposed new legislation (RIN 1210-AB95) to make investing in sustainable and responsible strategies more difficult. While this legislation does not impact UCF directly – we do not manage retirement plans– we stand with our partners in the field who see this action as a step in the wrong direction.
To read more about our views on these issues and research conducted by our partners, please click here.