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Ethics

Balancing
opportunity with integrity

The CFB is committed to seeking both superior returns and improving ethical standards.

Positive approach

We seek to improve the ethical profile of our portfolios by avoiding investments in particular businesses and encouraging better practices in others.

Company engagement

We view our investments as long term partnerships with company managements. We engage in constructive dialogue and practise active voting to challenge social, environmental and ethical considerations.

Integrated process

Ethical research integrated with financial analysis is key to our investment process. Fund managers are responsible for both financial and ethical analysis.

Clear policy

Comprehensive policy statements and position papers offer a reference for clients and a clear focus for fund managers.

Theological grounding

The Joint Advisory Committee on the Ethics of Investment provides a unique and robust mechanism for testing ethical investment decisions against theological principles.

Quarterly review
June 2024

Nature Action 100

Epworth is a signatory of Nature Action 100; a global investor- led engagement initiative focused on supporting greater corporate ambition and action to reverse nature and biodiversity loss. Epworth, along with other institutional investors, is engaging directly with Johnson and Johnson, Anglo American, and The Home Depot.

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Climate Action 100

During the quarter, Epworth undertook an assessment of our engagement with Climate Action 100+. Epworth has engaged with multinational mining company Anglo American since the initiative started back in 2017. Our original goals for the engagement were to:

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More quarterly reviews

Voting

Reports

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June
2024
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March
2024
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December
2023
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September
2023

Policy

Voting policy →

Serving
the Methodist Church

The Joint Advisory Committee on the Ethics of Investment (JACEI) provides CFB with advice on ethical issues and reports to the Methodist Conference on CFB compliance with the aims and objectives of the Church.

JACEI Report

The JACEI Report is produced for the Methodist Conference outlining its activities each year. An abbreviated version is also produced. Together they provide a comprehensive survey of the issues that we have addressed...

Joint Advisory Committee on the Ethics of Investment Report 2024 Joint Advisory Committee on the Ethics of Investment Report 2023 Joint Advisory Committee on the Ethics of Investment Report 2022

The Climate emergency

Evidence continues to mount that the Earth is warming and yet greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise.

Read the CFB and JACEI's response →

Working
in partnership

Carbon Disclosure Project Church Investors Group IIGCC, Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change Access to Medicines Index Access to Nutrition Index FAIRR Institutional Shareholder Services Sustainalytics TRUCOST UKSIF Business Benchmark on Farm Animal Welfare, BBFAW

Active membership of global networks and partnerships provide a powerful united voice when dealing with multinational corporations and assist us and our clients to make informed ethical investment decisions.

The Stewardship Code

The CFB supports investor engagement with companies and is a signatory to the Financial Reporting Council's Stewardship Code.

Read our detailed 2022 Stewardship Report in response to the 2022 Stewardship Code.

Montréal Pledge

The CFB is a signatory of the Montréal Carbon Pledge and is committed to a voluntary disclosure of the results. Read the CFB's Montréal Pledge Disclosure.

Recent Policy Statements

Please contact us for other policy statements and position papers.

Have your say...

Our ethics are based on Methodist Church principles. We welcome feedback on an ethical issue. If you would like to discuss these please contact the Chair of JACEI Stephen Wigley on 020 7467 5245.