The first stop on our Green Investment Roadshow took place in the beautiful surroundings of Bristol Cathedral on Wednesday 10 June.

Bringing together church leaders, finance directors, treasurers and Christians concerned about the climate crisis, the event showcased practical examples of climate-positive investments. The morning buzzed with conversation, ideas and inspiring presentations about how we can use our money to care for God’s creation and tackle the climate crisis.

Church investments worldwide are estimated to total  £191bn, with tens of billions of pounds held by churches and faith bodies in the UK alone. 

At the same time there is a huge gulf between what is currently being invested and the finances needed to mitigate and adapt to climate change.

Church investors have historically played a leading role in ethical investment and are widely respected in the financial sector as being an important and influential moral voice. 

Our theological mandate to care for Creation alongside the looming threat of the climate and nature crisis means it is more important than ever to ensure the Church’s finances are part of the solution and not part of the problem. 

As Roger Hattam, a committed Christian and Chief Commercial Officer of Triodos bank, reflected on the day:

“I have become convinced of the power of the local church to transform its society and be a prophetic voice in wider global communities.” 

Challenges facing faith based investors

However navigating today’s financial landscape is not straightforward. Notwithstanding the financial and resourcing challenges that churches, dioceses and other faith institutions face, faith investors have to weigh the environmental and moral implications of everything from fossil fuels and mining to AI and emerging green technologies.

To help unpack these challenges, we were privileged to hear from an expert panel including Roger Hattam (Chief Commercial Officer, Triodos Bank), Chris Butler (Co-CEO of Ethex) and Ray Coyle (CEO of Energise Africa), and Paul Whitehouse (Treasurer of Quakers in Britain). Together they shared practical examples of how church investments can achieve both financial gains and also create a positive environmental and social impact. 

Engagement and faith values

Paul Whitehouse outlined how the Quakers in Britain have worked to align their equity portfolio with their core testimonies and shared examples of how a faith investor can make an impact through successful engagement of even some of the largest companies in the world. 

As well as ensuring investment portfolios are as ethical as possible, a big concern for church investors is the need for financial returns to fund ministry and mission – from paying for clergy stipends and pensions to actively funding mission and outreach programmes.

Investing for impact

It is perhaps why impact investing – and the risks associated with it –  has often been approached cautiously or not at all. Yet it is here that money can make the biggest difference in the world and not only potentially generate returns but fund projects that align with the Church’s mission imperatives. 

Again, navigating this can be complex and we heard from two leaders in this sector, Chris Butler from Ethex and Ray Coyle, Energise Africa. They highlighted opportunities  from community energy in the UK to clean cookstoves in sub-saharan Africa, all generating healthy returns. We also heard stories from Roger Hattam about how Triodos Bank has lent to charities, churches and impact projects around the world. 

These stories demonstrate the potential for church savings or investments to be a powerful driver for change.  As Roger put it:

“The way we use our money when we’re not looking, as it were, is a tool through which the Kingdom of God can be expressed.” 

Advocating for change

As well as hearing about green investments, we are delighted to partner with Hope for the Future in these roadshows. 

Hope for the Future are leading experts in training and equipping individuals and organisations to work with politicians and local authorities to initiate change. They led a workshop on influencing Local Authority investments, especially their pension funds, which hold billions of pounds. We learned how political and financial systems intersect, and gained practical strategies for engaging local councillors, regional decision-makers, and pension fund committees to shift public money toward green initiatives.

After a lively lunch of networking and sharing ideas, we left the day feeling inspired, challenged and hopeful as reflected on the collective resources that we have as a Church, that bring genuine hope to a world facing climate breakdown. 

Interested in joining us for the next leg of our journey? 

If you weren’t able to join us in Bristol, we’d love to welcome you at a future Green Investment Roadshow event. These gatherings offer a unique opportunity to learn from experts, connect with like-minded Christians, and discover practical ways your church’s finances can help address the climate crisis. 

Keep an eye on our Roadshow 2026 page for details on future dates across the UK.