UUCEF Deepens Understanding and Collaboration with Faith Peers
The Unitarian Universalist Common Endowment Fund (UUCEF) is strengthening its collaboration with other faith investors and Unitarian Universalist partners in 2026 as part of its ongoing commitment to strong values-aligned investment performance and effective corporate engagement
Faith-based investors across traditions often face similar challenges: how to generate strong long-term returns while ensuring investments reflect shared moral and ethical commitments. By building deeper relationships with peer faith investors, UUCEF is improving both portfolio stewardship and our corporate accountability efforts on behalf of congregations and investors.
Two important developments are helping move this work forward. First, UUA Investment Office lead Mathew Jensen now serves on the Board of Directors for the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR), a coalition of over 300 global institutional, faith and values investors representing more than $4 trillion in managed assets. Second, in 2025 the UUCEF Investment Committee established a Faith Investor Subcommittee to connect specifically with US peer faith organizations on their values-based investment practices, and report findings and recommendations from this research to the full Investment Committee. Through extensive conversations with eight faith investment organizations, the group learned that UUCEF is on par or ahead in some areas but identified practical opportunities to strengthen shared work and deepen strategic partnerships.
In proxy voting and shareholder advocacy, UUCEF is working with partners to identify new approaches as recent regulatory changes make traditional shareholder resolutions more difficult. In emerging ethical issues—particularly artificial intelligence and the challenges of investing in an increasingly virtual world—UUCEF is exploring collaborative research and shared ethical reflection to help establish new investment standards. The Subgroup also identified opportunities for joint “on-the-ground” campaigns where coordinated action with other faith investors and UU organizations can strengthen advocacy efforts around specific corporate issues. These conversations reinforced something encouraging: UUCEF is widely respected among peer faith investors, and many organizations are eager to partner with us. By deepening these relationships, the Common Endowment Fund strengthens both its financial stewardship and its public witness—helping ensure that UU values continue to shape how we invest, advocate, and lead.