The principles in the Laudato si’ are consistent with centuries of Catholic social teaching. CBIS and other Catholic investors have been focusing on them with companies for more than 35 years and we have made significant progress over that time around human rights, economic justice as well as environmental stewardship. Our Catholic Responsible Investing℠ (CRI) approach is comprised of two essential components, Catholic investment screening and active ownership efforts. “We have directly engaged corporations addressing the impact they are having on humanity, from Africa, to the UK, to the U.S.,” said Julie Tanner, Assistant Director of CRI. “The Encyclical gives us renewed enthusiasm to continue to influence corporate policies for the common good.”
The Pope’s message is also in line with statements made by St. John Paul II and Benedict XVI, both of whom wrote and preached about “human ecology” during their pontificates. We are pleased that CBIS’ ongoing efforts are not only in line with the Encyclical, but will allow us, through our work with corporations, to heed the Pope’s call for full and open debate on environmental issues.
Check back frequently for our insights on Laudato si’ – we will release our review and analysis of the Pope’s encyclical later this month.