Edward Mason has been appointed Head of Responsible Investment at the Church Commissioners. In this newly established role, he will be responsible for the implementation of the Church Commissioners’ ethical investment policies and responsible investment commitments. He will take up the appointment in the summer.
Edward is currently Secretary to the Church of England Ethical Investment Advisory Group (EIAG), which gives ethical investment advice to the Church Commissioners and the two other national investing bodies of the Church of England. The Commissioners will continue to be advised on ethical investment by the EIAG.
Andrew Brown, Secretary (chief executive officer) of the Church Commissioners said:
“I am delighted that Edward will be taking up this new role; it is a natural development for him and the Commissioners. In his five years as Secretary of the Ethical Investment Advisory Group, Edward has successfully managed the policy development work of the EIAG against the backdrop of the increasing complexity of institutional investment.
“Edward has also supported the Church House investing bodies as they have committed to, and started to implement, the UN Principles for Responsible Investment. In his new role, he will be an important new resource at the Commissioners to take the implementation of responsible investment further, in line with the Commissioners’ commitment to responsible investment best practice.”
Edward Mason said: “I’m looking forward to moving into this new role which will take me closer to the Commissioners’ investment process. My focus will be on broadening and deepening the implementation of responsible investment principles across the Commissioners’ portfolio - the UK’s second largest charitable endowment.
“The Commissioners already invest significantly in the work of the Ethical Investment Advisory Group. Creating their own resource for the implementation of ethical and responsible investment is an important and exciting step.”
Notes: The Church Commissioners’ work supports the Church of England as a Christian presence in every community. The Commissioners’ support for churches includes funding towards the ministry of bishops and cathedrals and for mission at a local level. The Commissioners also fund a large share of clergy pensions. The Commissioners invest and manage the Church’s historic resources across a diverse portfolio seeking maximum return for the public benefit.
Responsible investment is an approach to investment that explicitly acknowledges the relevance to investors of environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors and the importance of well-functioning social, environmental and economic systems for the generation of sustainable investment returns. It complements traditional ethical investment practice (which involves investment exclusions) by recognising the importance of ESG considerations to investment decisions and investment ownership.
For more information about responsible investment, see: www.unpri.org. The Church Commissioners became signatories to the UN Principles for Responsible Investment in 2010.