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Interfaith Investor Group Urges Fed and Top Banks to Restore Public Confidence in Financial System April 20th, 2011

Citing Widespread Confidence Loss in U.S. Banks, Members of the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility Advance Shareholder Proposals at Citigroup and Other Top Banks.

New York, NY

Today, a task force from the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR) meets with representatives from the Federal Reserve to discuss its progress implementing regulation passed as part of the Dodd-Frank Bill last July. At issue are structures created by the Operations Management Group to monitor the global trading of derivatives in an effort to limit the excessive risk-taking that nearly toppled the financial system in 2008, left millions jobless and homeless, and shook global confidence in the markets to its core.

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Fr. Seamus Finn, OMI to Address Business Ethics Conference in Orange County, CA April 12th, 2011

Fr. Seamus Finn, OMI – Director of the Oblate JPIC Office and Board member of the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility – will give the keynote address on corporate responsibility and socially responsible investing. He encourages people to integrate their beliefs — such as caring for the environment and paying workers a fair wage — into their investment and business decisions.

“You don’t have to sacrifice return on your investment or profit from your business by integrating either your beliefs or your values into that process,” Fr. Finn said.

He sees the issue moved to the front burner because of the string of problems in the Middle East.

“What it does for me is shine a spotlight on that part of the world and ask a question about whether or not the U.S. has been turning a blind eye to the plight of a lot of citizens in these countries and imported refugee labor because we need the oil,” he said.

But Fr. Finn, who has been pushing for social responsibility in business for more than two decades, said he sees reason for hope as more companies put the environment and people first with tags like organic and sweatshop-free.

“There’s a reason to be optimistic I think because the consumer — the person who’s out there buying a computer or a car or some piece of clothing — they’re asking more questions about where these things come from,” Finn said. “What I think is intriguing and encouraging is that it’s not as difficult to get answers to these questions as it was 20 years ago. You can take our your iPhone or Android and if you have a question, you can put it in there and someplace out there in this vast web of Internet connectivity you’re going to get some answers.”

Read the article at the Daily Pilot

Socially Responsible Investors Submit Guidance for Conflict Minerals Rule March 29th, 2011

The Oblates joined a large group of socially responsible investors in a letter providing specific comments to the SEC on the Conflict Mineral Provision 1502 of the Dodd-Frank Finance Reform Act.

Read the letter…

Conflict Minerals in Our Cell Phones, Laptops March 1st, 2011

According to a UN Panel of Experts and others the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo is being fueled by a multi-million dollar trade in minerals. The armed groups perpetuating this violence deal in five main minerals used in electronic products and found plentifully in eastern Congo – coltan, gold, tin, tungsten and tantalum.

To see where various electronics companies rank in using conflict-free minerals and to send them messages, go to Raise Hope for Congo (English only)

Investing For Catholics? Fr. Séamus Finn Discusses on CatholicTV Talk Show December 3rd, 2010

On December 3rd, Fr. Séamus P. Finn, OMI was interviewed on the live CatholicTV talk show “This is the Day”.

Fr. Séamus is a leader in faith-based socially responsible investing. He represents the Oblates and serves on the Board of the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility, a coalition of faith-based and socially responsible investors working together to engage corporations. The coalition’s more than $100 billion is invested to promote the integration of faith-based values into the investment process. Father Séamus also represents the Oblates on the executive committee of the International Interfaith Investment Group (3IG www.3ignet.org) and serves as a consultant to Investing for Catholics, a company which provides fee-only advice on passively managed index portfolios screened for Catholic values.

Watch the interview on CatholicTV.com. The interview with Fr. Seamus is part of a larger program and starts 7 minutes into the broadcast. Or click on the video link below to view only the segment with Fr. Seamus:

Fall 2010 Issue of the JPIC Report Available October 10th, 2010

Read the new issue of the JPIC Report. If you are not receiving a hard copy in the mail and would like to, please contact the JPIC Office by emailing Mary O’Herron.

Read the Fall 2010 JPIC Report (Download PDF)

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