Socially Responsible Investing utilizes
our voice as investors to leverage a call for socially responsible
corporate policies and practices. As owners of the corporation,
shareholders can influence the behavior of a company in
which stock is held. The Investment Policy of the Sisters
of Saint Joseph includes monitoring our stock portfolio
in relation to social and environmental issues, a commitment
to shareholder activity, and to voting proxy forms.
As faith-based investors, the Sisters of Saint Joseph are members of the Interfaith
Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR) and its
local coalition the Philadelphia Area Coalition for Responsibility
(PACRI). One way of influencing the policies and practices
of a corporation is through shareholder advocacy. The
process usually begins with dialogues and meetings with
company management at which the issue may be resolved.
The shareholder may decide to file a shareholder proposal
or resolution to be voted on at the company's annual meeting.
A shareholder proposal is a request that the company take
action relevant to company policy.
We vote our company proxies annually and regularly join
with other religious communities in filing shareholders'
resolutions. Using our Congregational Guidelines for Socially
Responsible Investments and research from the ICCR, we
have networked with others and have filed resolutions
and or have been in dialogue with corporate management
over social and environmental issues.
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