By Matthew Illian, Director of Responsible Investing, United Church Funds
As we gathered at the Interfaith Center “God Box” for February’s ICCR conference, many of us carried a troubled spirit. You didn’t hear any lamenting, but you could sense our weariness in the way we greeted one another. Whether with words, a smile, or a hug, our interactions were more heartfelt than usual. We weren’t just saying hello; we also came seeking something – perhaps reassurance.
We were two months into rapid-fire Executive Orders from the Trump Administration, and many were witnessing their efforts to uphold a more just and equitable society being dismantled nearly overnight. In planning this conference, we determined that it was essential to turn to the elders of the ICCR community. We were eager to know how they kept the fire going through distressing times. How had they persevered through the ups and downs of political regime changes?
The session was dubbed a “Fireside Chat with ICCR Elders”. As it began, Sister Barbara Aires, Steven Heim, Father Séamus Finn and Bill Somplatsky-Jarman (SJ), who had collectively served the ICCR community for over 140 years, started sharing their stories.
One of the recurring themes was about the power of persistence. Both Steven and Sister Barbara shared stories of their unwavering determination, such as calling corporate offices on a daily or weekly basis. When Sister Barbara was told that Lee Scott, CEO of Walmart from 2000-2009, wouldn’t to speak with her, she replied, “Tell him that I want to speak with him,” which got a hearty chuckle from the audience, because we knew this was said in a way that would be very difficult for the CEO to refuse. And indeed, Sister Barbara received a call from Mr. Scott the very next day.
Another common theme focused on the power of trust, relationships and alliances. The audience heard stories of allies from the labor movement and personally affiliated corporate directors coming together to partner with the ICCR community. These decades-long relationships enabled beneficial solutions at large multi-national banks, managing the debts of the South African government and other emerging governments that would not have been possible without these relationships of trust.
They also spoke about the importance of how we can orient ourselves to make the most of long-term relationships. After Bill SJ reflected on a prior period of struggle when the Neocon movement was reinvigorated during the Reagan Administration, he shared, “The adversarial approach is often not the way to go. You have to develop and nurture relationships of trust, and all kinds of amazing things can happen.” Along these lines, Steven encouraged all listening to consider the “adopt-a-company” approach, where you engage with a company on a wide range of topics for the long term.
All four speakers emphasized the power of in-person participation. For Father Séamus, inspiration came from site visits with ICCR members and employees of Disney and McDonald’s to factories in Hong Kong and China as part of Project Kaleidoscope (a multi-stakeholder group that sought to improve working conditions in factories). Sister Barbara collected inspiring and humorous encounters at a shareholder meeting at Southern Company. For Steven, inspiration came from a 2005 trip to the Ecuadorian Amazon, which made him more committed to advocate for the rights of Indigenous Peoples. (For more insight into each of these stories, you can listen to the recording.)
The ICCR elders also spoke of ways to stay inspired and emboldened despite challenges. They spoke of the importance of finding sacred spaces and quiet places to allow your spirit to be filled. They spoke of keeping inspirational texts close by as reminders of one’s values, and of finding support from the ICCR community and other communities with shared values.
The last message was about faith: “Keep up your hearts,” shared Sister Barbara. “Know the values that you have. The faith that strengthens you to proceed. Don’t be in despair over what you see. I am proud of all the young people who are popping up like crazy… smarter than I am. Use those skills for the good of all.”
After it was over, we understood the assignment before us in a new way. We held a knowing to do the work that comes from a deeper place. The fire was still burning, and would stay alight even in these troubled times.
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The post Keep the Fire Going first appeared on Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility.