How about an Ethical Mennonite Mutual Fund?

Every two hours someone in British Columbia dies from a smoking-related illness. Most began smoking as children. And every time a child lights up another cigarette, some Mennonite profits! How can this be?

Every month the Mennonite organization for which I work sends off a cheque with my pension plan contribution, matched by my employer. My future retirement is secured through these contributions which, wisely invested, will grow.

These funds are invested in mutual funds that invest in powerful Canadian conglomerates. Conglomerate "ABC" owns "GetKidstoSmokeTobacco Inc.," which manufactures and sells cigarettes. Every time a child lights up, this company makes a profit, which reflects well on the parent company, which benefits Mennonites like me who own shares in a nonethically screened mutual fund held in an RRSP account. It's unconscionable.

Mennonites who oppose smoking, alcohol abuse and gambling unknowingly invest in companies which profit from these activities. Mennonites, through their social service agencies, work with the wreckage that alcohol, compulsive gambling, and cigarettes wreak on our communities. In our ignorance, we profit. This needs to change!

We need to put our money where our moral outrage and our mouth is. We should band together to set up an Ethical Mennonite Mutual Fund. RRSP contributions and investments could be invested in activities that support our values.

We could invest in companies that are just and innovative, that clean up our environment, have fair wage policies, promote women and minorities, and make a profit. Some of the profits could be returned to Mennonite charities. If Mennonite institutions alone encouraged their staff to transfer their RRSPs, the capital foundation would be significant.

Too often Mennonites in business and Mennonites who are interested in peace and justice have seen each other as being at opposites ends of the family. I believe there is much to be gained by putting sound, frugal money management in league with good, conservative, peace ethics.

Some years ago my financial consultant asked me if I was a Christian. Why, then, had I invested in mutual funds that bought shares in companies that were completely opposed to the values I hold dear? I was shocked.

Since then I've begun to invest in two Ethical Funds. One was named fund of the year by a mutual fund analyst and the other made substantial gains by investing in environmentally friendly companies. My ethical investments have grown.

Ethical investing is not a magic solution for the world's problems, but it is a responsible step to lining up our investing with our values. We could help entrepreneurs who build communities with peace, justice and jobs, rather than invest in companies that destroy communities through injustice, pollution and violence.

Mennonites face a crisis of imagination at the close of the 21st century. Do we continue to delegate the moral responsibility that our money brings to managers unconcerned with faith and ethics, or do we take responsibility for our wealth and invest it for good? We have the resources: capital, persons, ethics. Do we have the will?

Do we have the courage to put our money, our imagination, our faith to work in a world which groans under the weight of sin, and cries out for mercy, mutual aid, peace and ecological responsibility? It's time to found an Ethical Mennonite Mutual Fund.