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Many predicted that shareholder engagement was effectively dead. When the SEC largely stepped back from responding to companies seeking to exclude shareholder proposals this past season, the conventional wisdom said companies would simply stop listening. We took the opposite approach. Our 2026 Engagement Report documents what happened when Christian investors leaned in instead of backing off.
The results speak for themselves. Inspire filed or prepared 34 shareholder resolutions during the 2025–2026 season, up from 22 the season before, and our filings represented nearly 4 percent of all shareholder proposals filed at Russell 3000 companies. Twenty-three of those 34 resolutions, or 68 percent, were resolved before filing or withdrawn after the company took acceptable action.
Costco, Walmart, and Kroger confirmed they are not dispensing, or do not intend to dispense, the abortion pill mifepristone. Charles Schwab confirmed its health plans no longer cover gender-transition treatments for minors. Microsoft, Mastercard, NVIDIA, American Express, and Regions removed or disabled ideological filters that kept employees from directing matching gifts to otherwise eligible charities. And eight of the eleven largest U.S. banks have now updated policies addressing fair access to financial services.
This isn’t activism for activism’s sake. It’s stewardship. Each engagement addresses real legal, regulatory, financial, and reputational risk while encouraging companies to respect all stakeholders, including employees of faith. Entergy, Mastercard, Tractor Supply, and Regions strengthened protections for employees’ lawful expression outside the workplace. Delta, American Express, PNC, and others confirmed that faith-based employee groups are welcome. Beyond the boardroom, Inspire met with SEC and EEOC leadership and helped The Catholic University of America develop proxy-voting guidelines now offered through ISS, Glass Lewis, Egan-Jones, and Broadridge.
The report also carries a warning. Proposals grounded in Christian principles that reached a vote this season received only around 1 percent support, even when they exposed legitimate risks. Many Christian investors have outsourced their proxy voting without realizing their shares may be used to oppose the very proposals they would personally support. Every share carries a voice, and someone is using it. It is time to make sure that voice reflects your values.
The landscape may shift again: in September, the SEC proposed rescinding its shareholder proposal rule altogether. But our mission will not change: Every Christian investing for the glory of God. This report is both a record of what faithful capital can accomplish and a call for more Christians to get off the sidelines.
👉 Read the full 2026 Engagement Report to see every outcome, and what’s ahead for the coming season.
Tim Schwarzenberger, CFA is a Portfolio Manager and Director of Corporate Engagement for Inspire Investing. He previously served as Managing Director at Christian Brothers Investment Services (CBIS), where he was an integral member of the Investment Team responsible for implementing the firm’s strategy development, portfolio construction, and Catholic investing initiatives.
Many predicted that shareholder engagement was effectively dead. When the SEC largely stepped back from responding to companies seeking to exclude shareholder proposals this past season, the conventional wisdom said companies would simply stop listening. We took the opposite approach. Our 2026 Engagement Report documents what happened when Christian investors leaned in instead of backing off.
The results speak for themselves. Inspire filed or prepared 34 shareholder resolutions during the 2025–2026 season, up from 22 the season before, and our filings represented nearly 4 percent of all shareholder proposals filed at Russell 3000 companies. Twenty-three of those 34 resolutions, or 68 percent, were resolved before filing or withdrawn after the company took acceptable action.
Costco, Walmart, and Kroger confirmed they are not dispensing, or do not intend to dispense, the abortion pill mifepristone. Charles Schwab confirmed its health plans no longer cover gender-transition treatments for minors. Microsoft, Mastercard, NVIDIA, American Express, and Regions removed or disabled ideological filters that kept employees from directing matching gifts to otherwise eligible charities. And eight of the eleven largest U.S. banks have now updated policies addressing fair access to financial services.
This isn’t activism for activism’s sake. It’s stewardship. Each engagement addresses real legal, regulatory, financial, and reputational risk while encouraging companies to respect all stakeholders, including employees of faith. Entergy, Mastercard, Tractor Supply, and Regions strengthened protections for employees’ lawful expression outside the workplace. Delta, American Express, PNC, and others confirmed that faith-based employee groups are welcome. Beyond the boardroom, Inspire met with SEC and EEOC leadership and helped The Catholic University of America develop proxy-voting guidelines now offered through ISS, Glass Lewis, Egan-Jones, and Broadridge.
The report also carries a warning. Proposals grounded in Christian principles that reached a vote this season received only around 1 percent support, even when they exposed legitimate risks. Many Christian investors have outsourced their proxy voting without realizing their shares may be used to oppose the very proposals they would personally support. Every share carries a voice, and someone is using it. It is time to make sure that voice reflects your values.
The landscape may shift again: in September, the SEC proposed rescinding its shareholder proposal rule altogether. But our mission will not change: Every Christian investing for the glory of God. This report is both a record of what faithful capital can accomplish and a call for more Christians to get off the sidelines.
👉 Read the full 2026 Engagement Report to see every outcome, and what’s ahead for the coming season.
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