The Vatican Encyclical and Responsible Investing
Guest blog by John Streur, CEO, Calvert Investments
Pope Francis has crafted a compelling message. With Catholics representing 17 percent of the world’s population – 21 percent in the United States – and Catholic values expressed through large institutional investment portfolios worldwide, even non-believers should take note.
Just as the Pope is pointing to the stewardship of the world’s natural resources as a fundamental obligation, investors have begun to focus their attention on “Natural Capital” (air, land, water, biodiversity) as the foundation of societal prosperity. In the religious context, the environment is part of our inherited wealth which must be preserved. In the economic context, elements of natural capital are seen as assets that support economic activity, which also must be preserved to ensure prosperity. The Church and many investors are calling for action to protect this natural wealth, calling for better stewardship of these assets.
