Investment policy

Devon Wildlife Trust (DWT) is committed to making investment decisions that safeguard the charity’s assets, maximise returns on available funds and which do not compromise the Trust’s mission.

The nature of global capitalism and of modern western lifestyles means that it is almost impossible to find products or companies to invest in that do no harm to anyone, anywhere. The Trust is also a membership organisation, and our supporters, staff and volunteers are a broad church with a whole range of perspectives on social and political issues. Making ethical investment decisions in this context is a challenge, and in the shaping of this Policy, Trustees have had to balance their duties to promote the financial health of the organisation and its mission, whilst investing in a socially responsible manner.

When considering DWT’s ethical stance, then, the Trust has focused on our core mission – to protect Devon’s amazing natural heritage for future generations. Though a priority for the Trust in coming years is to reach wider audiences, particularly those communities that face the most disadvantage, and to promote the health and wellbeing benefits that contact with nature can bring, we are not a health or a social welfare organisation. Though our core business is wildlife – creating the conditions in which it can recover and thrive – we are not an animal welfare organisation.

Our main rule around the ethical dimension of our investment decisions, then, is to avoid harm in relation to our core mission – to avoid investments that have a direct and demonstrable impact on the health and quality of our natural environment. Wherever possible, the Trust would also wish to positively invest in companies and funds that promote environmentally and socially responsible practices.

Our key investment principles are as follows:

•  DWT investments aim to achieve a balanced return of income and capital growth and should generate a return of no less than 3% above any current interest rate.
• DWT will never knowingly invest directly in activities that are undisputedly harmful to the natural environment and/or directly conflict with its charitable objectives.
• DWT will never knowingly invest in products or companies that support armed conflict and where there is clear evidence of human rights violations/complicity in human rights abuses.
• Wherever possible, DWT will positively select investments that consider wider issues of environmental and social responsibility where this will generate a financial return and further its charitable objectives.