Honoring the Church of the Brethren’s historic peace stance can be accomplished in many ways, and Brethren Benefit Trust chooses to do so through its investments. BBT does this by compiling lists of publicly traded US Department of Defense contractors each year and prohibiting its investment managers from investing BBT funds in them.
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Two lists are produced: One includes the top 25 publicly traded companies with defense contracts; the other includes all publicly traded companies that earn more than 10 percent of their revenue from defense contracts.
This year, some of the nation’s largest companies made it on the two lists produced. For example, shipping giant FedEx was added to the top 25 list in 2011 at number 24; this year, it has moved up to the 23rd spot. The list showing companies that earned more than 10 percent of their revenue from the department lost 20 companies and gained 19 new ones for a total of 78.
The firms on the lists are screened from BBT investment portfolios, along with firms that receive more than 10 percent of their revenue from abortion, alcoholic beverages, firearms and other weapons, gambling, pornography, or tobacco. BBT also avoids using the services of any of these companies--most notably FedEx.
The lists and more information can be found at www.brethrenbenefittrust.org/screening .
-- Brian Solem is publications coordinator for Brethren Benefit Trust.
In another update from BBT: National Walk @ Lunch Day on April 25 
brought colleagues and congregations together. What is the easiest exercise to incorporate into your daily routine? Walking. If your health allows it, you can enjoy a low-intensity workout that can burn between 204 and 305 calories for every hour of walking at 2.5 miles per hour. Members and employees of the denomination did just that on April 25 to celebrate National Walk @ Lunch Day, an annual fitness event sponsored by Brethren Insurance Services and Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield. BBT encouraged congregations across the country to participate, and it also hosted a walking event at the Church of the Brethren General Offices in Elgin, Ill., where employees left their desks at noon and took walks for health and fellowship--even through a bit of light rain. Photos from National Walk @ Lunch Day are at www.flickr.com/photos/brethrenbenefittrust/sets/72157629541735828 . To start a fitness walking routine, pick up a pedometer and visit www.brethrenbenefittrust.org/news/track-your-steps-and-distance to download a chart to keep track of miles, steps, and minutes walked.
