Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
CSR embodies the approaches investors take together to encourage corporations to act in socially responsible ways. The practice considers ethics, economics and social principles to ensure people are treated fairly and with dignity, the environment is cared for and communities are sustainable.
We believe God calls us individually and together to use everything committed to our care to steward God’s creation, pursue justice, care for people in need and seek peace. The ELCA’s CSR program is one way in which we respond to God’s call to strive for justice and peace in all the earth.
You can take action to invest responsibly and sustainably. Avenues include investing positively to promote a sustainable environment, social justice and human dignity, and refraining from investments that degrade the environment or violate human dignity. The ELCA’s CSR program offers guidance.
How Does the ELCA Approach CSR?
CSR engages the private sector to align business practices with ELCA social teaching. It advances Christian responsibility for justice in economic life, the environment, health care, human rights and peacemaking.
Lutherans are concerned with the well-being of our neighbors and participate in the structures of society.
ELCA CSR collaborates with others in facilitating corporate dialogue and community investing.
Portico is the ELCA's separately incorporated benefit ministry. Social purpose investments are available for retirement.
The ELCA is a member of this coalition of 300 global institutional investors who leverage their stock ownership.
Tools of CSR
Investment screens discourage investing in certain kinds of companies, such as those producing or distributing tobacco and alcohol. ELCA investment screens are available in the ELCA Resource Center.
Issue papers interpret ELCA social teachings as they relate to investments and outline how corporations and others might play a role in solving an issue, identify any screens the ELCA would implement and set boundaries on the kinds of shareholder actions the ELCA might endorse. ELCA issue papers are available in the ELCA Resource Center.
Selective purchasing assists consumers in making sound decisions about purchasing items or services that may have an environmental or social-justice impact. Selective purchasing guides developed by the CSR program include issues like fair trade and small business. Guides are available in the ELCA Resource Center.
Boycotting has deep roots in CSR, but as a means of advocacy, it should be treated as a last resort after other means have been exhausted including shareholder resolutions, conversation with corporate leaders and shareholder voting. The ELCA Boycott Policy addresses the ethical, procedural and pastoral issues that advocates should consider before deciding to boycott. Available in the ELCA Resource Center.
Owners of shares in publicly held corporations can cast ballots in favor of socially responsible shareholder resolutions, as well as engage in dialogue, roundtable discussions and shareholder resolutions like those done with ELCA collaborators.