An article by Dr. Bernard Prusak, professor and Smiley Chair in Business Ethics at John Carroll University, titled: "Socially responsible investing—the Catholic way" was featured as the online cover story by America—The Jesuit Review magazine last week.
His article describes the limits of what’s called "negative screening", which is the typical way that people who care about the ethics of investing go about constructing portfolios. Negative screening is about excluding investments in certain types of companies, industries, or products. It’s the go-to strategy for most people and institutions that care about investing according to Catholic moral principles. Yet, according to Dr. Prusak, investors ought to look beyond negative screening and to focus instead on positive goals.
What Dr. Prusak wants students to take away from his article is that "There is so much good you can do with your business skills! Also, there are so many interesting, creative ways you can use your skills. Not everyone is only out to make a buck. There are lots of talented people who are seeking to make an impact on the world for the better. Search them out! Don’t just settle."
You can read the full article in America Magazine here, and you can learn more about Dr. Prusak and his research here.