In 1928, an ecclesiastical group created what is recognized as the first publicly available socially responsible investment fund, The Pioneer Fund (now Pioneer Investments), according to Tom Roseen, head of research services at Lipper Thomson Reuters.

The fund was the first of its find to screen out tobacco, alcohol and gambling investments, according to a report. Today, many advisory firms invest based on SRI principles, and at least one firm well known to many advisors applies a long-term, principles-based investment strategy built on biblical truths.

That firm is Ronald Blue Trust, a division of Thrivent Trust Company, owned by Thrivent Financial. Ronald Blue is based in Atlanta and has more than 8,000 clients, 13 office locations, and $8 billion in assets under advisement (AUA). Ronald Blue & Co. joined Thrivent Trust Company in 2017.

Ronald Blue, a former registered investment advisor, converted to a trust company after joining Thrivent. Ronald Blue Trust, among other services, provides estate planning services and philanthropic counsel for its clients.

“We envision a world where Christians are more confident, content and living their God-given callings in service to one another, their churches and their communities,” according to Thrivent’s website.

The firm’s principles-based framework has proven to be successful in helping clients achieve their goals over the long term, said Brian McClard, director of Ronald Blue Trust’s Investment Strategy Group. However, “Ronald Blue Trust is first and foremost a financial planning firm,” he added.

Ron Blue Trust serves clients in four distinct divisions: private wealth (clients with typically $1 million to $5 million in investable assets), family office (serving clients with specific value and belief-based planning), everyday steward (populations underserved by the financial services industry) and professional athletes.

The firm’s principles-based investment philosophy includes several components, which are then applied to the firm’s planning strategies.

The first principle is of applied wisdom. It is based on the idea that the word of God transcends time and circumstance. The firm’s biblical worldview guides its perspective on economics and how financial markets are impacted, according to a white paper from the firm.

The firm’s principle of human productivity says that productivity is a product of both creativity and natural resources, and wealth is the direct result of individual human productivity. The aspect of creativity is first applied in the goal-planning process. “We want to help clients meet with goals and deal with the fear of missing out. The planning process begins with recognizing and prioritizing trade-offs that investors have to accept before moving forward,” McClard said.

The firm’s principle of uncertainty states that the future is uncertain; therefore planning, saving and investing are inherently important. The principle is guided by the belief that God created humans with the necessary tools to steward the world’s resources.

The principle of leadership and governance applies to where wealth is created and how people are led (government, corporations etc.). These components heavily influence the level of productivity, according to the report.

“Good leadership and governance is based on the biblical truth that  ‘man is meant to be productive’; as a result, we look to buy in places where the economy is growing the fastest, and where there are cheaper prices and then diversify according to where clients need their money,” McClard explained.

The firm invests in nations and companies where it believes leaders act with integrity, according to a report from the firm.

This year, Ron Blue Trust partnered with Church Law & Tax, a publication of Christian Today, to provide content for ChurchSalary, a tool developed as a result of the National Initiative to Address Economic Challenges Facing Pastoral Leaders — an initiative to improve faith leaders’ financial confidence.

The platform features content on compensation best practices, guidance and personal finance, according to a press release from the firm.

The principle of inherent value is outlined in the firm’s process for identifying opportunity. Because investors and markets do not always behave rationally, opportunity and risk are identified using the firm’s valuation process.

“We don’t believe in overpaying for assets and will not invest in an asset because of its potential growth. Instead, portfolios are diversified to meet client time horizons and cash flow needs,” McClard explained.

Lastly, the firm’s principle of instability is applied to managing risk and preparing for loss. The concept is based on the biblical “fall” of mankind in the Garden of Eden.

 The principle says that it is important to understand present risk and understand that provision against risk may ultimately fail. Because of sin, risk can never be completely avoided and despite the best efforts of man, occurrences like market crashes cannot be evaded, a firm white paper said.