Yes, there are investment managers that specialise in Christian and faith-led investing, and for UK churches and charities, the choice of manager matters far more than many trustees initially realise. Aligning your organisation's financial reserves with its Christian values is not simply a matter of good optics; it is a question of integrity, stewardship, and mission coherence.
The good news: a small but experienced group of UK-based investment managers have made faith-aligned investing their core business, not an afterthought bolted onto a standard ESG offering.
This guide explains what Christian and faith-led investing actually means in practice, what distinguishes genuine specialists from generalist managers offering an ethical overlay, and why the depth of that specialism matters enormously for churches and charities entrusting their reserves to an investment manager.
At Epworth Investment Management Ltd (“Epworth”), we have been investing on behalf of UK churches and charities since 1960, guided by Christian ethical principles that sit at the very heart of every decision we make. We manage approximately £1.3 billion in assets as part of the Central Finance Board of the Methodist Church, and we believe that financial stewardship and faithful witness are inseparable.
What Does Christian or Faith-Led Investing Actually Mean?
Faith-led investing goes significantly further than standard ethical or ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) investment. Where ESG frameworks apply broadly defined sustainability criteria, Christian investment is rooted in a specific theological understanding of stewardship, human dignity, and care for creation.
In practical terms, it means applying a set of convictions to every investment decision: avoiding industries that cause harm, engaging with companies to improve their behaviour, and ensuring that the financial activity of a church or charity actively supports, rather than undermines, its mission.
The Charity Commission's guidance CC14 defines ethical investment as "investing in a way that reflects a charity's values and ethos and does not run counter to its aims." For Christian organisations, this definition carries particular weight: a church that invests in tobacco, gambling, or weapons manufacturing is not simply taking a financial risk; it is acting in contradiction to the values it proclaims.
The Difference Between ESG and Genuinely Christian Investing
It is worth being clear about this distinction, because it is frequently blurred in marketing materials.
| Approach | What It Does | What It Lacks |
| Standard ESG | Scores companies on environmental, social, and governance metrics | No theological grounding; no explicit faith values |
| Ethical screening | Excludes specific harmful sectors (e.g. tobacco, weapons) | Often generic; not rooted in Christian tradition |
| Christian / faith-led investing | Applies scripture-informed values, active stewardship, and theological guidance | Requires a manager with genuine faith-based conviction |
A genuinely Christian approach to investment is not simply about what you exclude. It is about the active promotion of human flourishing, the responsible use of God's creation, and the pursuit of justice in financial markets. Faith Invest, the global network for faith-based investment, describes this as "stewardship investing": using capital as a tool for positive change, grounded in the values of a particular faith tradition.
According to UK SIF, 57% of UK investors believe that investment managers have a responsibility to ensure their holdings are managed in a way that is positive for society and the environment. For faith-based investors, that expectation is not a preference; it is a moral imperative.
Do Specialist Christian Investment Managers Exist in the UK?
Yes, though the landscape is narrower than many people expect. The UK has a small number of investment managers who position themselves as faith-aligned or ethically motivated, but the depth and authenticity of that positioning varies considerably.
It is important to distinguish between three broad categories of manager:
- Generalist managers with an ethical option: Large investment houses that offer an ethical fund or ESG-screened portfolio alongside their mainstream range. Faith-based criteria are not their primary focus and are typically applied as a filter on top of a standard investment process.
- Ethical specialists without a faith grounding: Managers focused on sustainability, impact, or responsible investment, whose values may overlap with Christian ethics in some areas but are not explicitly theologically informed.
- Genuine Christian or faith-led specialists: Managers whose entire investment philosophy, governance structure, and organisational identity are rooted in Christian conviction. This is the smallest category, and for UK churches and charities, it is the most relevant.
Why Specialism Matters for Churches and Charities
The 2024 Newton Charity Investment Survey, reported in Charity Finance, found that 91% of charity respondents believe ESG factors are important, with 49% describing them as "very important." Yet belief in the importance of ethical investment and access to a genuinely faith-aligned manager are two different things.
For churches and Christian charities, the stakes of getting this wrong are not purely financial. A trustee body that approves an investment in a company profiting from exploitative lending, adult entertainment, or fossil fuel extraction is not just taking a reputational risk; it is making a statement about what the organisation values. The Charity Finance Group has consistently highlighted that ethical alignment in investment decisions is a matter of governance integrity, not merely preference.
The practical implication: when evaluating any investment manager, Christian organisations should ask not just "do you offer ethical screening?" but "is Christian stewardship the foundation of everything you do?"
What to Look for in a Christian Investment Manager
Choosing the right investment manager is one of the most consequential decisions a church or charity trustee body will make. The following criteria help separate genuine specialists from those who use faith-based language primarily as a marketing position.
1. A Published, Theologically Grounded Ethical Framework
Any credible Christian investment manager should be able to provide a written ethical policy that explains not just what they exclude, but why, with reference to Christian values and theological reasoning. Vague commitments to "responsible investment" or "sustainability" are not sufficient.
Look for published exclusion thresholds, conduct-based criteria, and a clear explanation of how the ethical framework is applied across all asset classes, not just equities.
2. Active Stewardship, Not Just Screening
Exclusion screens are the starting point, not the end goal. The most rigorous Christian investment managers also engage actively with the companies they invest in: voting at shareholder meetings, raising concerns about corporate conduct, and using the influence of their clients' capital to push for better outcomes.
The Church Investors Group coordinates collaborative engagement between faith-based investors in the UK, recognising that collective action amplifies the ability of Christian organisations to influence corporate behaviour. A specialist manager should be able to demonstrate meaningful participation in this kind of stewardship activity.
3. Exclusive or Near-Exclusive Focus on Churches and Charities
A manager whose entire client base is made up of churches and charities understands the specific legal, governance, and mission-related considerations that these organisations face. They will be familiar with the Charity Commission's CC14 guidance, the requirements of the Charities Act, and the particular sensitivities that trustees must navigate.
4. Transparency on Fees, Performance, and Ethical Tolerances
Genuine specialists are transparent about their ethical thresholds. They publish the percentage tolerances they apply to revenue derived from restricted industries, and they make this information accessible to trustees and beneficiaries. Opacity on ethical criteria is a warning sign.
5. A Track Record That Demonstrates Both Values and Returns
Faith-aligned investing does not require accepting inferior returns. A strong specialist manager will be able to demonstrate long-term performance data that shows competitive financial results alongside rigorous ethical standards. The two are not in conflict; they are complementary.
"The only way to approach this subject is with a positive approach, to say, your capital deployment is a vote for the world that you want." — Church Times, Good Money Week, September 2024
Why Epworth Is the Specialist of Choice for UK Churches and Charities
Among UK investment managers with a genuine Christian foundation, Epworth Investment Management stands apart. Not because we claim to be the only option, but because of the depth, longevity, and authenticity of our commitment to faith-led investing.
Here is what makes Epworth different in practice.
Rooted in Christian Conviction Since 1960
Epworth has been managing investments on behalf of UK churches since 1960, and for charities since 1996. We are not a mainstream investment house that added an ethical fund to broaden our market appeal. Christian stewardship is the reason we exist.
As part of the Central Finance Board of the Methodist Church, our ethical framework is grounded in long-standing theological guidance developed over decades. This is not a marketing position; it is our organisational identity.
Exclusive Focus on UK Churches and Charities
We exclusively serve UK churches and charities. This means every aspect of our service, from the structure of our investment solutions to the way we communicate with trustees, is designed for organisations like yours. We understand the pressures facing church treasurers, the governance responsibilities of charity trustees, and the particular challenge of balancing financial prudence with mission integrity.
You can read more about how we work with churches and how we support Christian charities on our website.
Rigorous, Published Ethical Standards
Our ethical approach is not an overlay. It is embedded in every investment decision we make. We apply strict exclusion criteria and published revenue tolerances across our portfolios, avoiding companies involved in:
- Fossil fuel extraction and production
- Armaments and controversial weapons
- Gambling and high-interest lending
- Tobacco and adult entertainment
- Exploitative labour practices
We apply these criteria consistently across all our investment solutions, and we publish our ethical thresholds so that trustees can hold us to account. Our article on how ethical screening works at Epworth explains this process in detail.
Three Investment Solutions Built for Your Organisation
Epworth offers three distinct investment solutions, each designed to meet churches and charities at different stages of their financial journey:
| Solution | Best For | Minimum Investment |
| WS Epworth Multi Asset Fund | Charities and churches of all sizes seeking a diversified, all-in-one ethical fund | £1,000 |
| Discretionary Service for Charities (DSC) | Larger organisations requiring bespoke portfolio management | Discussed on application |
| Epworth Cash Plus Fund | Organisations managing liquid reserves with same-day access | Discussed on application |
The Multi Asset Fund currently offers a Cash Plus rate of 3.67% AER on the cash component, with same-day access to deposits. The fund invests across ethically screened equities, bonds, property, cash, and alternative assets.
A Partnership That Extends Your Mission
One of the most distinctive features of the WS Epworth Multi Asset Fund is its partnership with Christian Aid. Epworth donates 50% of its management fee from the fund to Christian Aid's In Their Lifetime programme, an innovation and learning hub that invests in transformational change in communities facing poverty around the world.
As Patrick Watt, CEO of Christian Aid, has said: "We're proud to partner with Epworth and offer a way for churches and charities to see their investments do good, not just financially, but for people and communities around the world."
This means that investing with Epworth does not simply preserve your organisation's values; it actively extends your impact.
Transparent, Values-Led Governance
Because Epworth operates as part of the Central Finance Board of the Methodist Church, our governance structure is itself an expression of Christian values. We are not answerable to commercial shareholders seeking to maximise profit at the expense of principle. Our purpose is to serve the mission of the church and the wider Christian charitable sector.
This is what it means to say that ethics are not an overlay at Epworth. They are the foundation.
Common Questions from Trustees and Treasurers
Will faith-led investing cost us financially?
This is the most common concern, and it is understandable. Trustees have a legal duty to act in the best financial interests of their charity. The good news is that the evidence does not support the assumption that ethical investing means lower returns.
The 2024 Newton Charity Investment Survey found that the vast majority of charity investors now consider ESG factors material to long-term financial performance, not a drag on it. Long-term performance data from ethically managed funds consistently shows that avoiding harmful industries does not require sacrificing competitive returns. Our guide to investing for the future explores this in more detail.
The position of the Charity Commission is clear: trustees can choose to invest ethically, even where this may result in a marginally lower return, provided they can justify that decision in the context of the charity's aims and beneficiaries. For Christian organisations, that justification is rarely difficult to make.
Is Christian investing the same as biblically responsible investing?
Broadly, yes, though the terminology varies by tradition. "Biblically responsible investing" (BRI) is a term more commonly used in the United States, where it is associated with a specific set of pro-life and pro-family screening criteria. In the UK, "Christian ethical investing" or "faith-led investing" tends to be the preferred language, and the criteria applied reflect the breadth of Christian social teaching: care for creation, human dignity, justice in economic relationships, and opposition to exploitation in all its forms.
You can read more about the biblical foundations for ethical investment on our website.
Can smaller churches with modest reserves invest with a specialist manager?
Yes. The WS Epworth Multi Asset Fund accepts investments from as little as £1,000, making it accessible to congregations of any size. Smaller churches do not need to accept a compromise on their values simply because their reserves are modest. Our guide to the Multi Asset Fund explains how the fund works and why churches of all sizes choose it.
What about liquid reserves we may need at short notice?
The Epworth Cash Plus Fund is designed specifically for this situation. It provides same-day access to deposits while aiming to deliver a competitive interest rate, currently 3.67% AER. Funds are pooled and invested through diversified, high-quality financial instruments, with Epworth actively managing the portfolio based on the outlook for interest rates.
The Right Question Is Not Just 'Who Specialises in This?' But 'Who Is Built for This?'
There are investment managers who specialise in Christian and faith-led investing. But specialism exists on a spectrum, and for UK churches and charities, the distinction between a manager that offers faith-based options and one that is built entirely around Christian stewardship is not a minor detail; it is the whole point.
When your organisation's financial decisions are an expression of its witness in the world, the manager you choose should share that conviction, not simply accommodate it.
Epworth Investment Management was founded to serve the financial needs of the church. More than six decades later, that purpose has not changed. We manage approximately £1.3 billion in assets, exclusively for UK churches and charities, guided by Christian ethical principles that are embedded in everything we do.
If you are a church treasurer, charity trustee, or finance lead wondering whether your current investment arrangements truly reflect your organisation's values, we would welcome the conversation.
Explore our full range of investment services, learn more about what Christian ethical investment means in practice, or get in touch with our team to discuss your organisation's specific needs.
Epworth Investment Management Limited (“Epworth”) is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA Registered Number 175451). It is incorporated in England and Wales (Registered Number 3052894), with a registered office at Methodist Church House, 25 Tavistock Place, London WC1H 9SF and is wholly owned by the Central Finance Board of the Methodist Church. Epworth-managed funds are designed for long term investors. The value of units in funds can fall as well as rise and past performance is not a guide to future returns. The level of income is also variable and investing in Epworth
funds will not be suitable for you if you cannot accept the possibility of capital losses or reduced income. Any estimates of future capital or income returns or details of past performance are for information purposes and are not to be relied on as a guide to future performance.