Investing your Methodist money ethically and successfully

TMCP works through the agency of the Central Finance Board (CFB) of the Methodist Church. CFB was established by The Methodist Church Funds Act, 1960 to provide pooled investment vehicles for the exclusive use of Methodist organisations. We have a close working relationship and we value the support and service which they give. Please read the following statement from Sarah Bourgein, Head of Client Relations at CFB:

The Central Finance Board of the Methodist Church (“the CFB”) was founded through the Methodist Church Funds Act 1960. Serving the investment needs of Methodism is our core objective. Everything we do is tailored to that goal.  As stewards of your money, we carefully select investments using Christian ethical criteria. We have the guidance of the Joint Advisory Committee on the Ethics of Investment (“JACEI”), which also reports to the Methodist Conference on the CFB’s compliance with the aims and objectives of the Church.  The CFB manages funds of over £1.1bn on behalf of Methodist organisations large and small.
 
The CFB is in a privileged position, being integrated with the many parts of Methodism. Our starting point has been to understand all of those parts, which has enabled us to develop investment solutions that meet the needs of the smallest Methodist churches to the largest Methodist charities.  Our ethical approach is unique and designed to fully comply with the teachings of the Methodist Church.
 
When we invest our clients’ money, we start by asking what makes a good company, in every respect, and use Christian ethics as our guide.  We help control risk by investing only in sustainable companies. We take an active approach to investment management, believing this is the best way to add value. We engage with companies’ management to positively influence behaviour and ensure they are acting in a responsible way. Companies that do not meet our ethical requirements are excluded.
 
We keep our costs low. This has a significant positive impact on your returns in the long run.
 
It is the combination of these factors that we believe provides the foundation to deliver the good long term returns on which Methodist investors depend. We are committed to the UK Stewardship Code, the Principles for Responsible Investment and the Montreal Pledge. We work closely with a number of organisations to improve ethical standards in public companies, most notably the Church Investors Group.
 
We manage funds for a large variety of Methodist churches and charities, helping you to deliver your mission. Through our sister company, Epworth Investment Management Limited, we also provide investment management services to non- Methodist charities.
 
All of our funds take an investment approach that is guided by Christian ethics and consistent with the teachings of the Methodist Church. We have designed a wide range of low-cost investment options to meet your needs.  These include cash, equity, fixed interest and property investments. Two of our most popular funds are summarised below and full details on all of the CFB’s funds can be found at www.cfbmethodistchurch.org.uk.  We are always happy to discuss with managing trustees the various investment options, though we cannot provide formal investment advice.
 
The CFB Deposit Fund (through which the Trustees Interest Fund is invested) provides a competitive rate of interest and a high level of capital security. It is an effective way for Methodist churches and charities to maximise returns on their cash, while retaining daily access to their money. Across the organisation we manage around 6,000 cash deposit accounts.

 

The Managed Mixed Fund provides a diversified blend of all our funds, with a bias towards equities. It is preferred by many Methodist investors who are looking for a balance of long term capital appreciation and income, through a diversified portfolio.
 
If you would like to discuss any aspect of our work further, then please do not hesitate to contact Sarah Bourgein, Head of Client Relations (sarah.bourgein@epworthinvestment.co.uk; 020 7496 3646).

 

Sarah Bourgein,
Head of Client Relations
Central Finance Board of the Methodist Church

 

For more information about their investment products, performance and ethical policies please see their website. Please note TMCP are not legally allowed to give investment advice.

  • The TMCP Board has an Ethical Investing Policy, adopted on 19th May 2004.  This policy applies to those Funds and Trusts for which the Board has a managing trustee responsibility -  commonly called the 'full' or 'discretionary' Trusts.
  • Where the TMCP Board exercises a custodian trustee role only, the Ethical Investing Policy is in the hands of the appropriate managing  trustees and the Board as custodian has no power to do other than accept the lawfully made instructions of the managing trustees. 
  • For all funds which are invested via CFB, as stated above, securities held are in line with the ethical policy of the Methodist Church (JACEI).