The Archdiocese of Birmingham, UK

	The Archdiocese campaigns for justice and human rights

In the 1970s the Archdiocese of Birmingham found itself in the middle of a storm. It held shares in British companies which worked in South Africa, raising human-rights issues over the support of apartheid. This prompted the Church to review its investment policy in the light of Christianity’s commitment to justice. Since that time the Church continues to assess the companies in which it invests.

The Church tries to influence company policy by attending shareholders’ meetings and dialogue with management. If it is clear that a company will not avoid activities that conflict with Christian values, the Archdiocese may withdraw its investments.

They have set five criteria:
• Employment: should be equitable, in favourable conditions and with fair pay
• Arms trade: no investment in companies in any way involved with manufacturing arms
• The environment: damage to God’s creation cannot be the price paid for larger profits
• Less developed countries: institutions should not profit by exploiting the vulnerable position of less developed countries
• Human rights: investments should not support regimes with poor human rights records