A163 HB Committee #13 Report #04

House of Bishops Committee 13 - Stewardship & Socially Responsible Investing presents its Report #04 on Resolution A163 (Affirming the Ongoing Work across the Episcopal Church in Consideration of Ethical Issues in Investing) and moves:

Adopt

Resolved, the House of Deputies concurring,

That the 81st General Convention affirm the use of ESG investing by Executive Council’s Investment Committee in its management of the investments of the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society (DFMS), and affirm the work of the Executive Council’s Committee on Corporate Social Responsibility (CCSR) in advocating for corporate engagement through dialogue, filing and voting on shareholder resolutions, voting in director elections, and divestment and affirmative investment, including ESG (Environment, Social, Governance) investing, as CCSR supports General Convention and Executive Council in carrying out their responsibilities for the Church's investments; and be it further

Resolved, That General Convention affirm and support the Church’s advocacy for the right of all investors, whether or not they are guided by faith commitments, to consider all financial and other factors relevant to investing, to use ethical criteria, including ESG investing, to assess investment risks and opportunities, and to engage with companies, including through dialogue and voting, in making responsible investments; and be it further

Resolved, That General Convention encourage the Church to advocate publicly for the freedom to invest responsibly and against legislation that would prohibit divestment, or ESG investing, or consideration of all environmental, social and governance factors relevant to responsible investment decision making; and be it further

Resolved, That General Convention encourage active support for the rights of shareholders to raise important issues through the proxy resolution and voting process, including support for the authority of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission to rule on shareholders’ access to corporate ballots; and be it further

Resolved, That General Convention direct CCSR, as part of its advocacy of responsible investing, to continue its ongoing engagement, divestment and investment work with companies that contribute to and/or benefit from human rights violations and/or environmental exploitation in areas of conflict and high risk, such as Sudan, Myanmar, the Occupied Palestinian Territories, and elsewhere; and be it further

Resolved, That General Convention commend CCSR’s 53-year record of promoting corporate responsibility and encourage all dioceses and congregations to view The CCSR Story video on the Episcopal Church’s website that celebrates our Church’s witness, and to share the video with their people.