Church Group:
Non-Denominational Trustee Company created for the purpose of managing The Foundation Trust and The Charity Trust. These trusts were created by the late Sir William Leech principally for the benefit of five Christian charities.
Contact Details Saville Chambers
Ethical Investment Policy Guidelines for investment of The William Leech Foundation Limited - Foundation Trust and Charity Trust as approved by the trustee on the recommendation of the Five Charities (Bible Society, Church Mission Society, Methodist Missionary Society, The Salvation Army and The Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge)
Principal aim
To invest money in a manner consistent with the promotion of the objects of the Five Charities and which is in accordance with the principles held by each one.
Detailed application of aim
Short-term loans
Money may be invested in government stocks, short-term corporation or municipal loans, or deposited with financial institutions of standing.
Other investments
(a) Money shall be invested upon longer term considerations than in the expectation of short-term speculative gain.
(b) The spread of investments in both fixed interest and equity portfolios, and the proportion held in each section, shall follow the lines of normal commercial prudence.
(c) Money may be invested in overseas securities or in securities earning income from land or property, if recommended on investment grounds, but no investment, in this country or overseas, shall be made in an unquoted security.
(d) Money may be invested, if recommended on investment grounds, in enterprises designed to improve the economy of under-developed countries, but money shall not be invested in firms which are known to have disregarded pollution of the environment, or which have a significant proportion of their business related to:-
the production or sale of alcoholic drinks or tobacco products
the promotion of gambling in any form
the manufacture of armaments
the production or distribution of films
(e) Money may be invested in investment trusts, preference being given (subject to normal commercial prudence) to trusts where the portfolio contains no stocks of companies prohibited under (d) above, but no money shall be invested in trusts where 10% or more of the total portfolio is held in stocks of such prohibited companies.
