The world continues to face uncertainty, especially in the realm of finances. There is a general unease in the media, which focuses on rising costs, interest rates and inflation. Meanwhile, quietly and without fuss, behind the scenes, the work of faiths goes on. This newsletter highlights some of the good that can be achieved when faiths use their wisdom to create plans for a better future.

Our founding organisation, FaithInvest, has just published a white paper ‘Faith-consistent investing and smaller organisations’. This will be of particular interest to any faith organisation which has chosen to include Key Area One: Faith-consistent use of assets, in their Faith Plan. The World Evangelical Alliance is keen to deepen its faith-consistent investing work and has just signed a collaboration agreement with FaithInvest to do just that, and in Asia traditional Chinese beliefs and values will guide the creation of a resource for lay Daoists.

A number of faith organisations are finalising their new Faith Plan, including one from AJVDC in Goma Catholic diocese of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). We will upload these plans to the New Faith Plans page of the website as soon as they are available.

Finally, as we prepare for Earth Day 2023, we have compiled examples of what some of our partners and Faith Plans participants are doing would love to hear what you are planning. stories from people of faith around the world who continue to do all that they can to protect people and planet, and to share them with you in this newsletter, so please do keep sending us your news!

From the Faith Plans Team

New partnership with the World Evangelical Alliance

The World Evangelical Alliance (WEA), the second largest network of Christians worldwide, connecting 600 million evangelical Christians, has signed a collaboration agreement with FaithInvest, the founders of Faith Plans. WEA and FaithInvest will work together to increase faith-consistent investing globally to achieve a more just and sustainable world.

This partnership includes many exciting initiatives, include a proposed major event in Geneva, Switzerland, in January 2024 which would bring faith-based investors together in an 'alternative Davos' to look at values-driven approaches to the economy, around the time of the World Economic Forum's annual meeting.

This partnership also aspires to support faith-based entrepreneurs and communities to develop enterprises designed to protect the environment and address social concerns. What makes this particularly interesting is the focus on aiming to develop investible enterprises to benefit people and planet. Read more...

FaithInvest offers guidance to smaller organisations

Goma group prepares to launch their Faith Plan

A group in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the AJVDC (Association des Jeunes Visionnaires pour le Développement du Congo) is in the final stage of preparing their Faith Plan. This group is situated in Goma Catholic diocese and their Faith Plan focuses on three of the Seven Key areas:

• Faith-consistent use of assets

• Education and Young People

• Lifestyles

Their ambitious seven-year plan aims to grow 1.6m trees, including trees for forestry, food production and cash crops, across 1,000 hectares of land. This plan has strong environmental impact as well as economic benefits for women and youth. It also includes a comprehensive capacity-building programme for faith leaders. The Faith Plan will be available on the Faith Plans website in the coming days.

Harnessing traditional Chinese beliefs and values

Preparing for Earth Day 2023

We in the Faith Plans team are busy preparing for Earth Day. This year's theme is 'Invest in our planet', a theme close to our hearts.

For many faiths and organisations, every day is like an Earth Day. We have compiled a number of examples of how faiths live out their values through their work, including a publication from UNEP's Faith for Earth Programme and the WWF's Beliefs and Values Programme, and Interfaith Power and Light's call to prayer for Earth Week. Read more...

Throughout Earth Day, we will be busy on Twitter, @FaithPlans, so please do join the conversation online and let us know what you are doing to celebrate the day.

Share your Faith Plan

If you have already developed your Faith Plan, or have a draft Plan ready to go, please let us know. If you would like to showcase your Faith Plan on our website, alongside those developed by other faiths around the world, you can upload it here.