Written by Roger Bairstow, Executive Director
Our Board is committed to aligning our financial investments with the values of the Trust. Earliest efforts sought to at least ‘do no harm,’ as we established screens to weed out investments that run contrary to our core beliefs (e.g. arms manufacturing, private prisons, and others). Now, over two years into our efforts, we are connected with organizations who are intentionally addressing problems core to the roots of our mission – nurturing connections to God, Self, Others, and Creation. On Earth Day this year we are thrilled to have tangible examples of how our investments are benefitting Creation.
Awareness of how many traditional agricultural practices negatively affect our local and global climate begs for us to invest differently. Shared-X is a regenerative agriculture pioneer, focused on improving the conditions and welfare of smallholder farming communities and farming ecosystems. On its face, this organization might sound as though it is a non-profit, but amazingly they are a for-profit doing the work of the world.
Our Investment Committee was drawn to Shared-X because their products and activities have demonstrably improved the level of soil carbon sequestration and water efficiency. This is all while increasing yields for their clients 10%-60% depending on the crop grown. By virtue of their business, natural environments are improving while small farm holders are becoming more productive.
Awareness is the first step toward lasting change. Earth Day seeks to raise awareness of our environment and our impacts on it in the hopes of triggering investments of time and money across the other 364 days of the year. High-impact investments like Shared-X have enabled our Investment Committee to do just that, turning the corner from being a passive consumer to a conscious actor applying environmentally friendly strategies that are consistent with our organization’s mission.