Headline
Jan 17, 2023

Christian Investors Celebrate Win Against Debanking Trend

I love it when I have good news to share, and today I have excellent news regarding the discriminatory trend of big banks canceling accounts & financing relationships of conservative Christian organizations/individuals.
Christian Investors Celebrate Win Against Debanking Trend
Article by
Robert Netzly
Christian Investors Celebrate Win Against Debanking Trend

I love it when I have good news to share, and today I have some excellent news. By God’s grace, we have pounded another nail into the coffin of the discriminatory trend of big banks canceling accounts and financing relationships of conservative Christian organizations and individuals. We have been negotiating with M&T Bank, a large financial institution with over 17,000 employees, regarding a shareholder proposal that we filed with them regarding their religious and other discrimination policies that could be invoked to debank Christians or anyone else with viewpoints the bank disagreed with, for that matter.

After initial resistance, M&T has wisely agreed to our request to publish critical information about their discrimination policies to allow for the public accountability necessary to safeguard bank customers from hateful discrimination and harassment based on their religious or political viewpoints. Here is the decisive memo we received from the management of M&T:

"M&T is actively working to increase its transparency and enhance its disclosures based on what is important to our shareholders.  In addition to the Survey responses, we would ask that you also take the following information into consideration in determining whether to withdraw your shareholder proposal:

  • In 2023, we will include enhancements to certain disclosures included within M&T’s ESG Report (that will be published this spring) that would allow us to complete additional questions in the Survey, including for example:
  • Expanding information regarding our commitment to fair lending.  Currently, we note that we treat “customers consistently and equitably, in compliance with consumer protection laws and regulations, and without regard to any specific characteristics or basis as prohibited by law.”  However, we do not describe specifically all the characteristics protected by M&T’s fair lending policies, which include religion, creed and political affiliation, among other protected classes.
  • Disclosing new information regarding the M&T Diversity Council’s Mission Statement; and
  • Providing additional details regarding the subjects/topics covered in M&T’s diversity training.”

Praise God for His blessing! And thank you, M&T Bank, for respecting the voice of your Christian shareholders and making this critically important change to protect the well-being of all your customers, Christian or otherwise!

This “debanking” problem has steadily grown over the past few years, recently including JP Morgan Chase Bank canceling the bank account of a religious non-profit led by former Senator and US Ambassador Sam Brownback. Earlier this year, My Pillow CEO and conservative political activist Mike Lindell had his bank accounts closed at Minnesota Bank and Trust. And the list goes on.

Even if you don’t like Mike Lindell or Ambassador Brownback or what they stand for, is it right to cut them off from essential financial services? What happens when a society denies banking services based on political or religious viewpoints?

Today it’s Lindell or Brownback; tomorrow, it is you and me. Today it’s conservatives, tomorrow, it’s moderates and liberals. Today it’s Christians, tomorrow, it’s anybody who disagrees with the regime. You get the picture; this has to stop.

That is why we at Inspire Investing are leaning into the effort to crush the debanking trend before it goes any further. This is why we are celebrating this victory with M&T Bank and their decision to heed the voice of their Christian shareholders.

Do you want to join this good fight? When you invest with Inspire Investing, you give us the opportunity to make your voice heard as we speak biblical truth to corporate power. Together we are inspiring transformation for God’s glory throughout the world with the biblically responsible investing movement!

Will you join us?

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*Advisory Services are offered through Inspire Investing, LLC, a Registered Investment Adviser with the SEC. All expressions of opinion are subject to change. This article is distributed for educational purposes, and it is not to be construed as an offer, solicitation, recommendation, or endorsement of any particular security, products, or services. Investors should talk to their financial advisor prior to making any investment decision.

This article is intended solely for use with sophisticated investors, financial professionals, or institutional clients who are familiar with the limitations of financial projections and forward-looking investment models. It is not intended for retail distribution.

All return expectations, capital market assumptions, and hypothetical portfolio outcomes presented are illustrative, based on proprietary models and current market conditions as of the date noted. These projections are not guarantees of future performance, and actual results may differ materially due to various risks and uncertainties, including changes in market conditions, interest rates, inflation, and geopolitical events.Hypothetical performance results have inherent limitations and are based on assumptions that may not reflect actual trading or investor experience. These projections do not represent actual client accounts, nor are they intended to indicate future performance of any specific strategy or product. Inspire does not represent that any account will achieve results similar to those shown.

The strategic portfolio allocations discussed may include investments in proprietary Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) advised by Inspire Investing, LLC. Because Inspire receives management fees from these funds, a conflict of interest exists. Inspire seeks to mitigate this conflict through policies and procedures designed to ensure that recommendations are made in the best interest of clients and based on their unique objectives and risk tolerance. Additional information about this conflict is available in Inspire’s Form ADV Part 2A, available at www.adviserinfo.sec.gov.

Investment decisions should be made based on individual goals, time horizons, and risk tolerance. No portion of this article should be interpreted as personalized investment, legal, or tax advice. Please consult a qualified financial professional before implementing any investment strategy.
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Christian Investors Celebrate Win Against Debanking Trend
Headline
Jan 17, 2023

Christian Investors Celebrate Win Against Debanking Trend

I love it when I have good news to share, and today I have excellent news regarding the discriminatory trend of big banks canceling accounts & financing relationships of conservative Christian organizations/individuals.
Christian Investors Celebrate Win Against Debanking Trend
Article by
Robert Netzly
inspireinvesting.com/post/
christian-investors-celebrate-win-against-debanking-trend

I love it when I have good news to share, and today I have some excellent news. By God’s grace, we have pounded another nail into the coffin of the discriminatory trend of big banks canceling accounts and financing relationships of conservative Christian organizations and individuals. We have been negotiating with M&T Bank, a large financial institution with over 17,000 employees, regarding a shareholder proposal that we filed with them regarding their religious and other discrimination policies that could be invoked to debank Christians or anyone else with viewpoints the bank disagreed with, for that matter.

After initial resistance, M&T has wisely agreed to our request to publish critical information about their discrimination policies to allow for the public accountability necessary to safeguard bank customers from hateful discrimination and harassment based on their religious or political viewpoints. Here is the decisive memo we received from the management of M&T:

"M&T is actively working to increase its transparency and enhance its disclosures based on what is important to our shareholders.  In addition to the Survey responses, we would ask that you also take the following information into consideration in determining whether to withdraw your shareholder proposal:

  • In 2023, we will include enhancements to certain disclosures included within M&T’s ESG Report (that will be published this spring) that would allow us to complete additional questions in the Survey, including for example:
  • Expanding information regarding our commitment to fair lending.  Currently, we note that we treat “customers consistently and equitably, in compliance with consumer protection laws and regulations, and without regard to any specific characteristics or basis as prohibited by law.”  However, we do not describe specifically all the characteristics protected by M&T’s fair lending policies, which include religion, creed and political affiliation, among other protected classes.
  • Disclosing new information regarding the M&T Diversity Council’s Mission Statement; and
  • Providing additional details regarding the subjects/topics covered in M&T’s diversity training.”

Praise God for His blessing! And thank you, M&T Bank, for respecting the voice of your Christian shareholders and making this critically important change to protect the well-being of all your customers, Christian or otherwise!

This “debanking” problem has steadily grown over the past few years, recently including JP Morgan Chase Bank canceling the bank account of a religious non-profit led by former Senator and US Ambassador Sam Brownback. Earlier this year, My Pillow CEO and conservative political activist Mike Lindell had his bank accounts closed at Minnesota Bank and Trust. And the list goes on.

Even if you don’t like Mike Lindell or Ambassador Brownback or what they stand for, is it right to cut them off from essential financial services? What happens when a society denies banking services based on political or religious viewpoints?

Today it’s Lindell or Brownback; tomorrow, it is you and me. Today it’s conservatives, tomorrow, it’s moderates and liberals. Today it’s Christians, tomorrow, it’s anybody who disagrees with the regime. You get the picture; this has to stop.

That is why we at Inspire Investing are leaning into the effort to crush the debanking trend before it goes any further. This is why we are celebrating this victory with M&T Bank and their decision to heed the voice of their Christian shareholders.

Do you want to join this good fight? When you invest with Inspire Investing, you give us the opportunity to make your voice heard as we speak biblical truth to corporate power. Together we are inspiring transformation for God’s glory throughout the world with the biblically responsible investing movement!

Will you join us?

inspireinvesting.com/post/
christian-investors-celebrate-win-against-debanking-trend