Aperio Group Expands Faith-Based Investment Strategies with Catholic Advocacy Portfolio

Sausalito, CA, June 01, 2011 --(PR.com)-- Aperio Group LLC (http://www.aperiogroup.com)

Aperio Group LLC, a financial advisory firm that manages customized portfolios for a range of values-based investors, has expanded its faith-based Socially Responsive Indexing (SRI) offerings by introducing the Aperio Catholic Advocacy Portfolio. The Catholic Advocacy Portfolio, designed for HNW and institutional investors, seeks to match the performance of the broad equity market while meeting and exceeding the USCCB Guidelines through a combination of security screening and active corporate participation.

The Aperio Catholic Advocacy portfolio is the result of a rigorous screening process developed by Aquinas Associates. Companies included in the Aperio Catholic Advocacy universe must first pass exclusionary screens to ensure they do not exceed a maximum threshold involvement in the following businesses’ activities: those that contradict the sanctity of human life, pornography, military weapons of mass destruction, landmines, and additionally, also excludes companies whose activities involve tobacco, alcohol, and gambling.

In addition, in order to fully comply with the USCCB guidelines, which include active corporate participation, Aquinas Associates (acting on behalf of investors) engages companies on issues including: human rights, racial and gender discrimination, labor standards, access to pharmaceuticals, affordable housing/banking, protecting the environment, global warming, access to water, and encouraging corporate responsibility.

Aperio integrates classic portfolio optimization techniques with socially responsive investing agendas for engineering more “efficient” socially screened, indexed investment portfolios. The Catholic Advocacy Portfolio is designed to track the broad equity market and forecasted to have a tracking error of less than 1%.

“The new Catholic Advocacy Portfolio will now allow Catholic investors concerned with adhering to the Bishops’ principles to invest in the U.S. equity market without sacrificing their values or returns, and to avoid paying excessive fees,” said Patrick Geddes, Aperio’s CIO.

Frank Rauscher, CEO and Founder of Aquinas Associates, said, “What many don’t realize is that the Bishops’ Guidelines have two Principles of Stewardship: 1. To deliver market returns and 2. To do so in an ethical manner based on Catholic moral principles. The Aperio Catholic Advocacy Portfolio meets both of these requirements.”

Rauscher added, “I know many Catholics feel it is sufficient to simply screen out companies that violate the Bishops’ Principles, however it is the advocacy that can really make the difference. We can provide many examples of companies that have changed for the better because of shareholder advocacy. The more Catholics that adhere to the Bishops’ Principles, the more shares there are to push companies to change behavior. Aperio Group’s Catholic Advocacy strategy allows Aquinas to serve fellow Catholics in making a difference.”

Aperio Group LLC, based in Sausalito, California, is a pioneer in applying enhanced indexing techniques to socially responsive portfolios. Aperio works with both taxable and tax-exempt investors, providing customized portfolios that track a broad range of U.S. and international indexes. For more information on Aperio Group call Liz Michaels at 415.339.4310 or email info@aperiogroup.com.

Aquinas Associates, based in Dallas, TX, is a leading consultant on social research and change for Catholic investors. Aquinas provides an active corporate advocacy experience that focuses on creating a positive result for both an engaged company and the Catholic investor. For more information on Aquinas, call Frank Rauscher 972-596-1222 or email at info@acquinasassociates.com.

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