Bridging the Gap for investment professionals

In recent years, the faith-driven investment market has expanded rapidly, with faith-based asset owners managing trillions of dollars of investments globally. They have been described collectively as 'the third-largest economic power on Earth'. Yet many investment professionals struggle to understand and engage with faith-based investors effectively.

In response to this, international non-profit FaithInvest is preparing to launch a masterclass in 2025, aimed at equipping investment industry professionals with the tools, insights and strategies they need to engage meaningfully with this fast-growing sector.

This popular training is led by FaithInvest Programme Manager Catherine Devitt, with FaithInvest Executive Chair, Dave Zellner.

Engaging the trillion-dollar faith investment market

FaithInvest Executive Chair Dave Zellner says the masterclass comes in response to feedback from faith-based asset owners (FBAOs) who tell FaithInvest that the investment industry often fails to understand the unique needs of faith-driven clients.

'There’s a perception that the religious sector and the investment industry speak entirely different languages,' he said. 'This divide hinders the potential for collaboration, with both sides struggling to translate religious beliefs into actionable investment strategies.'

Dave Zellner, who managed more than US$26 billion in faith-owned assets during 27 years as CIO of Wespath Benefits and Investments, said the faith-consistent investing (FCI) landscape is changing, moving beyond its traditional focus on exclusions to more active portfolio management.

'There’s a perception that the religious sector and the investment industry speak entirely different languages' - Dave Zellner, FaithInvest Executive Chair

Dave Zellner goes on to say that 'financial professionals must build trust, deepen their understanding of faith values, and develop tailored investment solutions. Yet all too often, faith-based asset owners tell us of gaps in understanding, communication and experience. Our goal is to bridge that divide.'

'Our goal is to bridge that divide' - Dave Zellner, FaithInvest Executive Chair

What will the masterclass focus on?

This masterclass will cover all the essentials that are necessary to bridge the perceived communication divide and enable faiths and their advisors to work together to achieve their investment goals, including:

• Faith-based investor priorities – What motivates faith-driven investors, and how do they approach ethical investing?

• Understanding diverse faith traditions – Recognising the differences in investment attitudes across religious groups 

• Practical engagement skills – Learning how to communicate effectively with faith-based clients and translate values into investment decisions

• Case studies and real-world applications – Exploring successful examples of faith-consistent investment approaches 
  

As well as gaining greater knowledge of the faith investment sector, the masterclass will enable participants to develop strategies to better serve faith-based investors and understand their unique priorities, thus enabling participants to position themselves as a trusted advisor.

Who will benefit?

FaithInvest's two-hour interactive online masterclass is valuable for anyone interested in values-based finance who wants to integrate faith-aligned investing into their expertise. In particular, it would be useful for:

• Investment advisors and portfolio managers looking to expand their client base

• Financial planners and relationship managers engaging with faith-based clients

• Investment analysts seeking insights into the ethical investing landscape

• Business development teams within financial firms looking to create faith-aligned investment solutions

Learn more

To find out more about this upcoming masterclass, visit the FaithInvest website by clicking the button below. You can also register your interest to be the first to know when the masterclass is being launched.

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