Tending the Flock - Index Funds Advisors

Tending the Flock: Shepherding Catholic Retirement Plans
According to fi360, they are clearly permitted when:
• Plan documents permit the use of SRI
• A reasonable person would deduce from the organization’s mission that
SRI would be adopted
The best policy for the committee as the plan fiduciary is to treat your
SRI strategy as you would any due diligence process. Do sufficient
research to identify that the proposed strategy is likely to be prudent,
effective, and practical to implement and is regularly monitored
to show that the intended results have been accomplished – that
participants are experiencing competitive returns that will help them
achieve retirement plan success while investing according to your
organization’s core values.
Socially Responsible Screens
Screening is the most widely practiced approach to SRI. An effective
approach incorporates the screen into the fund construction process.
Certain fund managers work with highly regarded providers of
research analytics to effectively screen the funds that underlie the
Target Date Portfolios using faith-based exclusions. Implementing
these same screens for the investments in your plan will enable your
participants to invest according to specific risk parameters which carry
an expected return, while maintaining their inherent and steadfast
convictions which place a premium on life, social justice and the
avoidance of degrading and inhumane practices.
An example of specific screens includes:
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