Investing For Peace

What is investing for peace?

Investing for Peace is a campaign calling on churches and faith-based institutions to ensure their investments and procurement don’t profit from or advance Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory. It’s about aligning our money with our values.

If we believe in justice, equality and human rights, our investments should reflect that — not fund companies profiting from apartheid and occupation.

Why church investments matter

Churches, charities and faith-based institutions hold billions of pounds in investments and pensions. These funds are often invested in companies that profit from occupation — building settlements, providing technology for the Separation Wall, supplying equipment used in home demolitions or manufacturing weapons used against Palestinians.

When our institutions invest in these companies, we become complicit in occupation. Our money funds injustice, even if we oppose it in our words and prayers.

Investing for Peace says: we can do better. We must do better.

The call from Palestine

In 2009, Palestinian churches came together to form Kairos Palestine and released “A Moment of Truth” — a call to action for the international community to stand with Palestinians in their struggle for justice. In 2020, they issued a further call: Cry for Hope, urging decisive action from churches worldwide.

The message was clear: words of solidarity aren’t enough. Churches must act — including through ethical investment and divestment from companies profiting from occupation.

The UK response

Since 2009, Amos Trust has worked alongside those responding to the Kairos Palestine call, producing the UK response “A Time for Action.” The response is now led by Sabeel-Kairos, who together with War on Want, Pax Christi, Christian Aid and Amos Trust, created Investing for Peace in 2018 — a document that helps churches ensure their investments don’t profit from or advance occupation.

What we’re calling for

The campaign calls on UK churches and faith institutions to:

• Disclose
  Fully disclose their lists of investments — transparency is the first step to accountability,
• Identify
  Find out which companies profit from occupation — screen investments against clear ethical criteria,
• Strengthen
  Put in place investment screens — ensure policies exclude companies profiting from occupation,
• Divest
  Divest from complicit companies — withdraw investments from companies already in portfolios that profit from occupation, or if using corporate engagement, ensure it’s time-bound, structured and leads to divestment if companies don’t change.

This builds on the success of Morally Responsible Investment campaigns with churches in the US and provides a clear framework for UK churches to follow.

Companies profiting from occupation

Companies that profit from occupation include those that:

• build or maintain settlements on occupied Palestinian land,
• provide technology or equipment for the Separation Wall,
• supply weapons, military equipment or surveillance technology used in occupation,
• provide financial services to settlement projects,
• operate in settlements or facilitate their expansion.

The Investing for Peace booklet provides guidance on identifying these companies and screening investments accordingly.

What we’ve achieved

The campaign has seen real success. The Quakers, United Reformed Church (URC) and Methodist Church have all taken steps to divest from companies profiting from occupation.

These victories show that change is possible. When churches examine their investments and align them with their values, they send a powerful message: we won’t profit from injustice.

What you can do

If you’re part of a church or faith community:

• ask your church leadership about where your investments and pensions are held,
• request disclosure of the full investment portfolio,
• press for ethical screening that excludes companies profiting from occupation,
• join or form a working group on ethical investment,
• use the Investing for Peace booklet as a resource.

If you work for a charity or institution:

• raise questions about ethical investment with trustees or leadership,
• advocate for transparent disclosure of investments,
• push for divestment from companies profiting from occupation,
• connect with Sabeel-Kairos for support and resources.

Everyone can:

• learn which companies profit from occupation,
• share information about ethical investment in your networks,
• support campaigns calling for institutional divestment,
• choose ethical options for your own investments and pensions.

Download the Investing for Peace booklet →
Learn more from Sabeel-Kairos →
Explore Morally Responsible Investment →
Join our mailing list for updates ↓

Money talks

When churches and institutions divest from companies profiting from occupation, it creates real pressure. It shows these companies that there are consequences for complicity in injustice. It demonstrates that people of faith take their values seriously. Most importantly, it responds to the call from Palestinian Christians asking us to act, not just to sympathise.

Our money can fund injustice or it can be invested for peace. The choice is ours.