Friends Fiduciary’s works to ensure that our investments are in unity with Friends distinctive views on peace and social justice. Quaker testimonies and values guide our investment activity. We act in three primary ways:

• Actively screening companies for social responsibility
• Voting shareholder proxies to communicate our Quaker values on financial, social, environmental and governance issues
• Joining other institutional and faith-based investors in shareholder resolutions and company dialogues to encourage reform

We seek to live the Peace Testimony by making no investment in weapons or weapons components. Off-the-shelf commercial and consumer products sold to the Department of Defense, DOD contractors, or to their international counterparts are not considered weapons components.

We also exclude from investment companies that:

• Obtain their business from the production of alcohol, tobacco or firearms
• Operate gambling casinos or lotteries
• Have histories of poor environmental and employment practices

Implementing our policies

• We hire investment managers who are willing to be our SRI partners and screen out companies that do not fit within our guidelines.
• As a safeguard, we review domestic equities in advance of purchase, ensuring that all companies that passed the initial screening process are acceptable for the portfolio. Our international equity manager has a social responsibility focus and is a leader in SRI research.
• We actively vote our proxies and look to update our voting guidelines as new shareholder issues emerge. We seek improved corporate disclosures and just and sustainable business practices.
• We participate in shareholder resolutions, company dialogues and sign onto letters. Through Friends Fiduciary’s membership in the Interfaith Center for Corporate Responsibility (ICCR), we actively collaborate with like-minded institutional and faith-based investors on a wide range of ESG (environmental, social, governance) issues.
• We understand that international and multinational companies face complex issues arising from the diverse cultures and political and economic settings in which they operate. We favor companies that have adopted codes of conduct to guide their policies, programs and operations.

Please click here to download our full SRI guidelines.