Contact: Julie Capozzi
Managing Director, Communications
(847) 866-4111
[email protected]
Wespath Institutional Investments (WII) is pleased to announce today the launch of two new investment funds designed for institutional investors that want to exclude fossil fuel companies and certain securities associated with conflict-affected areas from their portfolios.
The new funds, the Social Values Choice Equity Fund – I Series (SVCEF-I) and the Social Values Choice Bond Fund – I Series (SVCBF-I), are intended to provide faith-based and values-aligned non-profit organizations—such as foundations, senior living communities and higher education institutions—with global equity and fixed income investment exposure in ways that align with their values.
"We know investors have diverse perspectives on how to respond to complex challenges like climate change and areas of human conflict, and we want to provide investment options that resonate with their values," Wespath Benefits and Investments (Wespath) CEO Andy Hendren said. "This solution empowers our institutional clients by offering them meaningful choices."
SVCEF-I is a passively managed equity fund investing in broad-market companies in the U.S. and other developed countries. SVCBF-I is an actively managed fixed income fund with allocations to U.S. and international bond markets. WII engaged the external asset management firms Xponance and PIMCO to serve as subadvisors for SVCEF-I and SVCBF-I, respectively.
“Our top priority is to provide our investors with investment excellence. We seek to deliver that through a diligent investment process which prioritizes working with world-class asset managers to provide our clients with investment solutions that meet their needs,” WII Chief Investment Officer Johara Farhadieh said. “I am confident the new Social Values Choice funds will achieve that for our institutional clients looking for more customized values-aligned investment options.”
The launch of the Social Values Choice (SVC) funds in the I Series marks an expansion of the SVC suite, which is already offered by Wespath to participants and plan sponsors through the P Series funds.1
PIMCO has served as the subadvisor for the Social Values Choice Bond Fund – P Series since its inception in 2017.
Xponance is a new asset manager partner for Wespath and will serve as the subadvisor to both SVCEF-I and SVCEF-P. Xponance is a woman-led, 100% employee-owned firm.
“Xponance is honored to collaborate with Wespath in customizing an equity solution incorporating both the investment objectives and values of their investors; we appreciate their recognition of our client-centric approach to assist the organization in meeting its mission,” Xponance founder, CEO and CIO Tina Byles-Williams said.
Wespath is an internationally recognized leader in the sustainable investment community. It was a co-author and founding signatory to the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment and is an engaged member of the Net-Zero Asset Owner Alliance, Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility and Climate Action 100+. All of Wespath’s and its affiliate’s funds consider environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors to increase impact and manage risk, which also has the benefit of supporting values alignment.
More information about SVCEF-I and SVCBF-I is now available in the Investment Funds Description – I Series and on each fund’s respective webpage: wespath.com/SVCEF-I and wespath.com/SVCBF-I. Non-profit organizations interested in the funds can contact our Institutional Investment Services team at [email protected] or by sharing their contact information here.
As it announced earlier this year, Wespath will offer the P Series SVC funds in LifeStage Investment Management for retirement-plan participants by early 2026.1 LifeStage creates a participant’s investment portfolio—and automatically adjusts it over time—based on personal factors like age and risk tolerance. Currently, participants must self-manage their investments to invest in the SVC funds.
1Wespath Benefits and Investments (“Wespath”) is a general agency of The United Methodist Church, a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. Wespath administers benefit plans and together with its subsidiaries, UMC Benefit Board, Inc. (“UMCBB”) and Wespath Institutional Investments, LLC (“WII”) invests (or provides back-office services for) assets on behalf of benefit plan participants and beneficiaries, plan sponsors and other institutions controlled by, associated with or related to The United Methodist Church. The P Series funds are managed by UMCBB, and the I Series funds are managed by WII.
Wespath Institutional Investments LLC (WII) is a not-for-profit subsidiary of Wespath Benefits and Investments (Wespath), a general agency of The United Methodist Church. Wespath and a subsidiary, maintain one of the largest faith-based pension funds in the world and, including WII, manage over $27 billion in assets as of September 30, 2024.
WII provides comprehensive investment solutions for faith-based institutional investors including churches, foundations, endowments, higher education institutions and healthcare organizations. We’re focused on guiding our clients on the path to achieving their financial goals through our Outsourced Chief Investment Officer (OCIO) services and commitment to sustainable investing.
Xponance is a multi-strategy investment firm that is both woman-led and 100% employee-owned. Founded by Tina Byles Williams in 1996, the firm manages $20.1 billion in assets (as of September 30, 2024). As a direct equity manager, Xponance develops and manages systematic, risk-controlled, active, and passive strategies tailored to various client specifications. The firm's active U.S. fixed income platform provides strategies across the maturity spectrum, aiming to deliver income advantages and downside protection through differentiated off-benchmark securities. Xponance also offers global and non-U.S. equity investment strategies through a multi-manager approach, leveraging the expertise of entrepreneurial and emerging managers within a strategic framework. Xponance's alternatives subsidiary, XAlts, focuses on GP Capital Solutions for diverse private equity and private debt, real estate, and infrastructure firms. Additionally, Aapryl, a Fintech subsidiary of Xponance, offers a web-based platform for manager performance analytics and portfolio risk management, empowering investors to enhance portfolio performance.
PIMCO is a global leader in active fixed income with deep expertise across public and private markets. PIMCO has 23 global offices and $2.0 trillion in assets under management*. Our scale and access, ability to navigate complex markets, consistent, disciplined approach, and quantitative rigor are designed to help provide our clients with an edge as they pursue their long-term goals. Our clients rely on an investment process that has been tested in virtually every market environment. Honed over more than five decades, our process takes an integrated approach to employ our best ideas across public and private markets worldwide.
*PIMCO manages $2.01 trillion in assets, including $1.62 trillion in third-party client assets as of 30 September 2024. Assets include $79.9 billion (as of 30 June 2024) in assets managed by Prime Real Estate (formerly Allianz Real Estate), an affiliate and wholly-owned subsidiary of PIMCO and PIMCO Europe GmbH, that includes PIMCO Prime Real Estate GmbH, PIMCO Prime Real Estate LLC and their subsidiaries and affiliates. PIMCO Prime Real Estate LLC investment professionals provide investment management and other services as dual personnel through Pacific Investment Management Company LLC. PIMCO Prime Real Estate GmbH operates separately from PIMCO. Employee data excludes PIMCO Prime Real Estate employees.
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