IOR launches two new equity benchmarks fully aligned with Catholic ethical principles
Developed in collaboration with Morningstar Indexes, they aim at serving as a reference for Catholic investments worldwide.
Vatican City, February 10 – The “Istituto per le Opere di Religione” (IOR) today announced the launch of two new equity benchmarks: the Morningstar IOR Eurozone Catholic Principles and the Morningstar IOR US Catholic Principles.
Both benchmarks, developed in collaboration with Morningstar, a leading provider of independent investment insights and index solutions, are built following market best practices and in accordance with Catholic ethical criteria, and are designed to serve as a reference for Catholic investments worldwide.
This initiative further strengthens the alignment between the reference parameters used by the Institute and its Investment Policy, developed in accordance with the Social Doctrine of the Church, and forms part of IOR’s broader commitment to ensuring that its investment process is fully consistent with Catholic ethical principles.
The Morningstar IOR Catholic Principles Eurozone Index and the Morningstar IOR Catholic Principles US Index comprise fifty issuers each and are focused on medium- and large-cap companies. They are fully compliant with the IOR Investment Policy and are designed to incorporate future developments in the Institute’s approach to ethical Catholic investing.
Through the introduction of these new benchmarks, the IOR reaffirms its ongoing commitment to promoting responsible, transparent finance that aligns with the Institute’s mission, strengthening the integration of Catholic ethical principles not only in IOR’s investment decisions but also in the processes of measurement, evaluation, and reporting of management results.
Giovanni Boscia, Deputy Director General, CFO and Head of Asset Management of the Istituto per le Opere di Religione, commented: “With the launch of these two new equity indexes, the IOR takes a further step forward in the process that has seen it adopt international best financial practices for years, in strict compliance with the principles of the Social Doctrine of the Church. Having benchmarks built in accordance with recognised Catholic ethical criteria allows us to make our performance assessment and reporting processes even more rigorous and transparent. This initiative reaffirms our commitment as a financial institution serving the Church, further strengthening the role of the IOR as a reference point for the Catholic world”.
Robert Edwards, Managing Director EMEA, Morningstar Indexes commented: “Investors increasingly seek benchmarks that reflect specific values-based or policy-driven criteria. Morningstar’s transparent, rules-based approach ensures client-defined standards are applied consistently and objectively”.
In 2022, the Vatican released "MENSURAM BONAM” Faith-Based Measures for Catholic Investors: https://www.pass.va/content/dam/casinapioiv/pass/pdf-volumi/other-publications/mb_eng_final_14_11_22.pdf
https://www.ior.va/en/contents/press-2026/ior-launches-two-new-equity-benchmarks-with-morningstar/
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