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Articles & Opinions
This section contains all of the articles and opinion pieces that have been submitted by our contributors. As this section grows, the search functions available will become increasingly useful to help find those pieces that are relevant to the topics you are interested in.Balance for Better
Vanessa Sanyauke
On International Women's Day, Vanessa Sanyauke, CEO and Founder of Girls Talk London, helps us think about what can be done to help achieve gender balance around the world. More »
Posted: 08 Mar 2026
Job Vacancy: Director of St Paul's Institute
St Pauls Institute
We're recruiting! We are looking for a highly skilled and experienced leader to steer St Paul's Institute. More »
Posted: 18 Feb 2026
Who is welcome here?
Katie Harrison
Who is welcome here? That's the question the Bishop of London and a panel of city leaders will explore at the next St Paul's Institute event, on Monday 18 February. More »
Posted: 12 Feb 2026
What does 2026 hold?
St Pauls Institute
We asked some leading thinkers to predict a challenge, opportunity or ethical dilemma likely to face the financial sector in the UK during the next twelve months... More »
Posted: 09 Jan 2026
Highlights from 2025
St Pauls Institute
As 2025 draws to a close, we look back on some of highlights of the last 12 months. More »
Posted: 20 Dec 2025
Understanding Output - An economist's perspective
Professor Jagjit Chadha
Professor Jagjit Chadha helps us think through the productivity problem and explains why economic growth matters. More »
Posted: 26 Nov 2025
Building Trust: with Purpose
Rhian Johns
Rhian Johns shares why trust in business matters more than ever. More »
Posted: 12 Nov 2025
A Rich Tapestry of Communities
Robert Hughes-Penney
Robert Hughes-Penney, an Alderman of the City of London, helps us to think about the important role of community in the City. More »
Posted: 05 Nov 2025
Mental Health and the City of London
Jasvir Singh
On World Mental Health Day, Jasvir Singh reflects on the importance of mental health awareness in City firms. More »
Posted: 10 Oct 2025
Can we Organise Cities for Good?
Richard Blyth
Richard Blyth of the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) reflects on ways the built environment implicitly indicates who is welcome in a community. More »
Posted: 20 Sep 2025
Give me your tired, your poor
Barbara Ridpath
Barbara Ridpath, the former director of St Paul's Institute, reflects on a recent visit to Ellis Island. More »
Posted: 10 Aug 2025
London Living Wage could be the biggest attack on poverty since creation of Welfare State
Tim Thorlby
The widespread adoption of the Living Wage across London would be the biggest attack on poverty since the foundation of the Welfare State, because it would lift 700,000 people and their families out of poverty. More »
Posted: 02 Aug 2025
The Only Constant is Change
Canon Tricia Hillas
The Reverend Canon Tricia Hillas, Canon Pastor at St Paul's Cathedral shares her heart and vision for St Paul's Institute in a new season of change. More »
Posted: 23 May 2025
Back to the Future?
Barbara Ridpath
The end of this month marks the end of Barbara Ridpath's tenure as Director of St Paul's Institute. This valedictory article looks back at that time but also forward toward the joys and challenges to come. More »
Posted: 21 May 2025
The Globalisation of Indifference
Barbara Ridpath
Barbara Ridpath, Director of St Paul's Institute, helps us consider how community, commonality and faith communities can act as the antidote to the globalisation of indifference. More »
Posted: 25 Apr 2025
Companies and Companionship
Richard Ellis
Guest commentator Richard Ellis explores how we, as citizens, could help UK corporate public limited companies (PLCs) get back on track. More »
Posted: 20 Feb 2025
Double-edged Philanthropy
Barbara Ridpath
Barbara Ridpath helps us to consider if philanthropy is a better model for wealth redistribution than tax policy. More »
Posted: 30 Jan 2025
Highlights from 2024
St Pauls Institute
As 2024 ends and the New Year approaches we present some of this year's highlights. More »
Posted: 13 Dec 2024
Productive Time
Barbara Ridpath
The United Kingdom has a productivity problem. Here you will find a slightly 'tongue in cheek' response to a serious problem for your holiday reading. More »
Posted: 12 Dec 2024
City Giving - How to Think About It
Maddy Fry
As government subsidies for charities and the arts dwindle, what should be the role of the City? More »
Posted: 24 Oct 2024
Mentoring for Success: Celebrating the International Day of the Girl
Jodi Kiang
To celebrate the International Day of the Girl, St Paul's Institute, in partnership with Girls Talk London, hosted young women from schools across London for an evening of mentoring. More »
Posted: 11 Oct 2024
Reflections, 10 Years On
Dr Eve Poole
Further thoughts on lessons from the Financial Crisis More »
Posted: 30 Aug 2024
Ten Lessons for the Tenth Anniversary of the Financial Crisis
Barbara Ridpath
Hoping time brings some fresh insights into the lessons from the financial crisis. More »
Posted: 29 Aug 2024
Overcoming The Divisions Of Partition 70 Years On
Jasvir Singh
Thinking about how faiths who once lived in harmony were driven apart at partition and what we can learn from it.First published by The Huffington Post More »
Posted: 07 Aug 2024
The Fall of Farron Poses Deep Questions for our Democracy
David Barclay
Institute Associate David Barclay discusses the implications of the Liberal Democrat leader's resignation for the nature of our political debate. More »
Posted: 19 Jun 2024
A Christian Politics of Persuasion
The Revd Dr James Walters
A look at the role of the Church in promoting constructive conversations that allow us to dialogue in search of understanding even when we disagree. More »
Posted: 09 May 2024
Had Enough of Elections? Let's Talk About What's Good.
David Rouch
The Chairman of St Paul's Institute Advisory Council see the general election as an occasion to reconsider the common good. More »
Posted: 27 Apr 2024
New Releases for World Water Day
St Pauls Institute
On the 22 March 2024 we ran a virtual event showcasing new videos, articles, images and more to celebrate World Water Day. More »
Posted: 29 Mar 2024
Why Water?
Barbara Ridpath
Today, on World Water Day, we are holding a virtual event. We will be releasing new items each half hour throughout the day using the hashtag #JustWater17. More »
Posted: 22 Mar 2024
Career Shifting
Barbara Ridpath
On Tuesday 21 February, a small group of us were fortunate enough to spend the evening in conversation on career change with journalist Lucy Kellaway. More »
Posted: 01 Mar 2024
Value(s) for Money
Anna Laycock
Unfortunately, in our economy one form of value tends to take precedence over others and it distorts the way we see and act in the world. More »
Posted: 23 Jan 2024
Love in Action: The Theology of Martin Luther King Jr. in the World Today
Robert Gordon
The legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. is lasting because he reminds us to strive for a lofty ideal of what we could be. More »
Posted: 16 Jan 2024 - 1 comment
The Power of Meaningful Work
Robert Gordon
We often forget that work can be the point at which we integrate our personal, civic and spiritual selves into one complete and powerful whole. More »
Posted: 12 Dec 2023
Spiritual ecology: A deeper response to the ecological crisis
Amrita Bhohi
Can we respond to the true nature of the environmental tragedy from just a political, economic or even ecological perspective? More »
Posted: 21 Nov 2023
Meaningful Working
Dr Eve Poole
Much of life is taken up working - so what does meaningful work mean, exactly? More »
Posted: 16 Nov 2023
Thirty years after Big Bang: What have we learned?
Barbara Ridpath
27 October 2023 marks the 30th anniversary of Big Bang, the change in financial legislation that permitted outside ownership of member firms of the London Stock Exchange. More »
Posted: 27 Oct 2023 - 1 comment
The Politics of Virtue
Barbara Ridpath
Adrian Pabst and John Millbank have tried, with their new book, The Politics of Virtue, to take on the entirety of post-liberalism from politics to economics to international relations. More »
Posted: 26 Oct 2023
Anglican Churches Around the Globe Launch JustWater
St Pauls Institute
Cathedrals and churches on four continents have come together to raise awareness and activism about water by launching the JustWater website. More »
Posted: 05 Oct 2023
Everybody Lies
Barbara Ridpath
The recent EU referendum campaign and the final report of the Chilcott inquiry do little to encourage us to trust our government and our politicians. More »
Posted: 06 Oct 2023
Changing the World? How the Church can be a Force for Good
David Barclay
The Church of England is not always famous for turning good intentions into practical outcomes. That reputation may just be starting to change. More »
Posted: 14 Sep 2023 - 1 comment
Talking About Money in Church
The Revd Dr James Walters
Christian thinking about money is usually held back by unhelpful underlying assumptions about what money is. More »
Posted: 30 Aug 2023
Shaping the Future of Post-Brexit Britain
Jasvir Singh
Two months have now passed since Britain voted to leave the EU, and the nation is still coming to terms with this seismic shift in our identity. More »
Posted: 23 Aug 2023
Mythbusting in the Retail Banking Market
Anna Laycock
The way we look at the financial system - and the way we look at big business in general - is based on a number of assumptions that don't, ultimately, hold true. More »
Posted: 15 Aug 2023 - 1 comment
Post Referendum: Let the Healing Begin
Barbara Ridpath
The political contest to come needs to play to the 'better angels of our nature,' not the politics of fear, distrust and isolationism. More »
Posted: 21 Jul 2023
Welcome to the new Associates of St Paul's Institute
St Pauls Institute
We are very pleased today to announce the launch of our first group of Associates, an initiative that we have organised to bring new voices into our work at St Paul's Institute. More »
Posted: 05 Jul 2023
A Shared Vision for London
St Pauls Institute
Survey results and discussion summary from our recent series of events. What are the challenges and opportunities facing London today? More »
Posted: 29 Jun 2023 - 1 comment
Introducing JustWater during Christian Aid Week
Barbara Ridpath
The subject this year is particularly resonant to St Paul's Institute as we turn our attention to the theme of water and stewardship over the next eighteen months. More »
Posted: 12 May 2023
Have Your Say on Extractive Industries
Barbara Ridpath
The Ethical Investment Advisory Group (EIAG) is developing an ethical investment policy for the extractive industries. More »
Posted: 29 Apr 2023
Social Investment for Social Change: Putting your wallet where your heart is
Robert Gordon
If positive change is the goal, what might successful and productive social investment look like? More »
Posted: 18 Apr 2023
Eco Church Now 200 Strong!
Dr Ruth Valerio
Around 200 churches have now registered, and we are starting to see the first awards come trickling through. More »
Posted: 04 Apr 2023
The Pledge for Parity: How far have we come?
Vanessa Sanyauke
The theme for this year's International Women's Day is 'pledge for parity'. How close are we to achieving it? More »
Posted: 08 Mar 2023
Changing the Financial System from Within: Is it possible? Is it happening?
Barbara Ridpath
Financial institutions need to be trustworthy to be trusted. In other words they need to re-earn the public's trust and that takes far longer than losing it. More »
Posted: 16 Feb 2023 - 2 comments
St Paul's Goes Green for Eco Church
St Pauls Institute
The launch of the new Eco Church awards scheme took place on 26th January, with St Paul's Cathedral the first to receive a Bronze award! More »
Posted: 27 Jan 2023
The World's Most Ambitious To-Do list
Diane Sheard
Getting all world leaders to agree on something, at the same time, in the same place, is rare to say the least. More »
Posted: 20 Jan 2023 - 2 comments
Paris and Beyond: Working Together to Make a Difference
the Rt Revd Nicholas Holtam
COP21 has been hard won and now needs to be hard-wired. This isn't an optional extra for us as Christians and as Anglicans. More »
Posted: 16 Dec 2022
Building Constructive Dialogue on Capitalism
Barbara Ridpath
After the crisis, financial systems are still not changing: Christians need to help find ways forward. More »
Posted: 10 Dec 2022
Review of PostCapitalism: A Guide to Our Future
Robert Gordon
Paul Mason provides an alternative vision of what it means for humanity to live in relationship with one another and the world that we inhabit. More »
Posted: 22 Oct 2022 - 2 comments
Plenty
Barbara Ridpath
Harvest Festival Homily given to the Worshipful Company of International Bankers at St Mary-le-Bow Church. More »
Posted: 08 Oct 2022
No Wealth But Life: A New Economy is Coming Alive
Amrita Bhohi
What would a society look like that was founded upon values of reverence for life, interconnectedness, co-operation and stewardship? More »
Posted: 28 Sep 2022 - 1 comment
Unique Opportunity to Shape Fair and Effective Markets
St Pauls Institute
St Paul's Institute has released a briefing sheet on the Fair and Effective Markets Review, encouraging organisations to participate in the Bank of England's forthcoming Open Forum. More »
Posted: 22 Sep 2022
Who is my Neighbour?
Barbara Ridpath
We cannot presume to take only the benefits of globalisation without assuming any of its costs. More »
Posted: 17 Sep 2022
Five practical ways to help with the refugee crisis
St Pauls Institute
Many of us are wondering what we can do. Here is a practical list of different ways that you can help today. More »
Posted: 17 Sep 2022
How Clean is Your Business? How to Manage Responsibly
Tanya Barman
A new survey of nearly 2,500 management accountants has been released by CGMA, what does it say about the state of ethical business today? More »
Posted: 29 Jul 2022
Praise Be, Indeed!
Barbara Ridpath
The very fact that the Pope chose the environment at the subject of his first encyclical highlights the urgency of the issue and calls people to action. More »
Posted: 19 Jun 2022
Fair and Effective Markets Review Released
Barbara Ridpath
We look forward to continuing to engage in this important conversation on how to re-establish trust in the financial sector. More »
Posted: 11 Jun 2022
Ethical Banking: Not an Oxymoron
Barbara Ridpath
How can financial institutions begin to re-earn the trust and confidence of their customers? Here are six basic strategies. More »
Posted: 08 Jun 2022 - 1 comment
Public Vulnerability is the Key to Shared Success
Robert Gordon
Can we encourage a new public discourse that is openly vulnerable and ready to discuss our own flaws so that they might be overcome together? More »
Posted: 03 Jun 2022
Government Policymaking - How does it work?
John Alty
Following on from the recent House of Bishops' letter, how can the Church most effectively engage with government policymaking? More »
Posted: 01 Jun 2022
It Doesn't Have To Be Like This
Andrew Bradstock and Jenny Sinclair
This election campaign is bringing into sharp relief how out of touch the 'political' conversation has become. More »
Posted: 28 Apr 2022
Climate Change and the Common Good
Baroness Worthington
We need to change course on climate change, and quickly, but action by any one individual or any one country alone cannot guarantee a resolution. More »
Posted: 27 Apr 2022
Would You Like to Have More Power?
the Revd Canon Dr Angus Ritchie
Although we live in a democracy, many voters feel life is shaped by external economic forces. What would it take for these systems to be placed at the service of a truly common good? More »
Posted: 15 Apr 2022 - 2 comments
Africa Rising: The Ethics of Economic Transformation
Ivor Agyeman-Duah
The Africa Rising narrative needs to mean more than middle class consumption at the shopping malls full of imported goods. More »
Posted: 26 Mar 2022
Global Inequality and the Social Contract: The New Context for Business Ethics
Robert Gordon
There is a massive opportunity for corporate leadership, and public sentiment is ready to embrace innovative responses that work towards shared value. More »
Posted: 03 Feb 2022 - 1 comment
Mutual Dependence - Banking Culture and Individual Behaviour (Part II)
Seth Thomas
Professionalising banking and instilling a code of ethics is one way of restoring trust in the financial system. More »
Posted: 29 Jan 2022
Equality for All?
Barbara Ridpath
A meditation on Archbishop Welby's talk at the Trinity Wall Street Institute conference 'Creating Common Good'. More »
Posted: 29 Jan 2022
Mutual Dependence - Banking Culture and Individual Behaviour (Part I)
Seth Thomas
How do we change banking culture and when are we going to put individual behaviour at the centre of restoring trust in the banking system? More »
Posted: 20 Jan 2022
The Individual in the Firm
Barbara Ridpath
We need always to consider the individual and the collective responsibility that we have when we consider the firm. More »
Posted: 15 Dec 2021
The Church Needs Finance, but Finance Also Needs the Church
Dr James Corah
During this first Good Money Week I explore why the investment activities conducted by churches are examples of Good Money in action. More »
Posted: 23 Oct 2021 - 1 comment
Embedding a Good Corporate Culture in Financial Services
Barbara Ridpath
Culture is made up, not of mission statements and policy documents, but of the values and purpose of the organisation. More »
Posted: 16 Oct 2021
The Crisis of Culture
Barbara Ridpath
The narrative on the origins of the financial crisis is by now well-rehearsed, but bears repeating with a particular focus on culture. More »
Posted: 08 Oct 2021
Good Corporate Culture is a Process, Not an End Point
Robert Gordon
We must learn to see good corporate culture as an ongoing process - not merely an end point that we can fulfil the criteria for and move on. More »
Posted: 01 Oct 2021
Hillel's Voice
Erika Karp
"The Days of Awe" refers to the ten days starting with Rosh Hashanah and ending with Yom Kippur. They are a time for reflection, introspection, repentance and renewal. More »
Posted: 18 Sep 2021
Late Summer Reading?
Barbara Ridpath
I had the pleasure of dipping into several relevant books this summer and thought readers might appreciate recommendations on some fruitful reading. More »
Posted: 15 Sep 2021
Women in Leadership: What Needs to Change? (Q&A;)
Amanda Phillips
Amanda Phillips, Director of External Relations at CWN (City Women Network), answers our questions about women in leadership. More »
Posted: 26 Aug 2021
Women in Leadership: A Reflection
Hannah Elias and The Very Revd Dr David Ison
Nearly 1500 people gathered under the dome of St Paul's Cathedral to hear about the ways we can dismantle the cultural and institutional barriers facing women today. More »
Posted: 29 Jul 2021
Women in Leadership: What Needs to Change? (Q&A;)
National Union of Students
The National Union of Students (NUS) answers some of our questions about women in leadership. More »
Posted: 11 Jul 2021
St Paul's Institute announces appointment of new Director
St Pauls Institute
Barbara Ridpath will be responsible for thought-leadership, vision, strategy and organisation of the wide programme of events run each year. More »
Posted: 11 Jun 2021
Women in Leadership: What Needs to Change? (Q&A;)
Hilary Cotton
Hilary Cotton, chair of WATCH (Women and the Church), answers our questions about women in leadership. More »
Posted: 10 Jul 2021
First Impressions
Barbara Ridpath
It is now just over a month since I started my new position as Director of St Paul's Institute. An appropriate time to sketch some first impressions of the Institute and its future. More »
Posted: 04 Jul 2021 - 1 comment
The Language of Reformed Capitalism
Robert Gordon
The narrative of global financial reform was ready for another shake-up, but what is currently missing from the language of reformed capitalism? More »
Posted: 23 Jun 2021 - 3 comments
[Summary Report] Looking Beyond the Checkbox: Mitigating Risk, Maximising Performance
St Pauls Institute
Summary report from a recent seminar held in partnership with the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants. More »
Posted: 10 Jun 2021
Climate Change: Building the Will for Action - Christiana Figueres
St Pauls Institute
Full transcript of keynote speech from Christiana Figueres at an event held at St Paul's Cathedral on Wednesday 7th May 2021. More »
Posted: 09 May 2021
But it's the money that is the ethical issue, Mr Jenkins
The Rt Revd Dr Peter Selby
Good people are no less vulnerable to being deflected from true ethical standards by the mesmerising effects of large numbers. More »
Posted: 19 Mar 2021 - 1 comment
Who Says You Can't Keep the Pound?
The Rt Revd Dr Peter Selby
The currency of a country is what the people trust; and what they cease to trust will no longer serve as currency. More »
Posted: 25 Feb 2021
Risk, Fear and Faith
The Rt Revd Dr Peter Selby
Has the imprudence of those who led our economic system to the edge of collapse caused us all to become increasingly risk-averse, to the detriment of creativity, enterprise and faith? More »
Posted: 30 Jan 2021
Whose Recovery Is It, Anyway?
Robert Gordon
Economic growth can bring about widespread improvement in living standards, but it doesn't necessarily do so; and they aren't always sustainable or evenly distributed. More »
Posted: 27 Jan 2021
Why Expect Charities to be Different?
The Rt Revd Dr Peter Selby
One of the tragic by products of the increasing power of money is that churches and charities quickly become captive to ways of thinking which have negative effects on the world's poor. More »
Posted: 12 Dec 2020
Could there be a Finance Sector with Convictions?
The Rt Revd Dr Peter Selby
I do my banking, a bit of my shopping and all my energy purchase with the Co-op. So I certainly watch with the concern of one who has personal reasons for wanting the mess cleared up. More »
Posted: 21 Nov 2020
Making Finance Fair
Julian Bond
How can faith communities do more to inject a sense of fairness in the financial system? More »
Posted: 11 Nov 2020
Who Sets a 'Fair' Price?
The Rt Revd Dr Peter Selby
The shortcomings of the markets are not just things for good people to think about: they require resistance in the name of the common good. More »
Posted: 23 Oct 2020
[Summary Report] The City and the Common Good: What kind of City do we want?
St Pauls Institute
Summary report from our recent series. including key points from our eminent speakers and results of an audience survey conducted following the series. More »
Posted: 11 Oct 2020
The Perfect Storm
Mr Francesco Vanni d'Archirafi
Why Corporate Social Responsibility and Responsible Finance have never been more important. More »
Posted: 04 Oct 2020
The Spirituality of Money
The Rt Revd Dr Peter Selby
If money presents itself as a god (Mammon), does it have a spirituality, a prayer life which it enjoins upon its worshippers/followers, devotees? More »
Posted: 25 Sep 2020 - 1 comment
Tremble When the Money Men are Delighted
The Rt Revd Dr Peter Selby
Christians need a more radical grasp of the underlying issues about the financial system. More »
Posted: 02 Sep 2020 - 2 comments
Is it the Love of Money That's the 'Root of All Evil' - or the Fear of It?
The Rt Revd Dr Peter Selby
It's worth remembering while money may arouse envy and 'love' in a bad sense, it certainly arouses fear. More »
Posted: 30 Jul 2020
The Archbishop and the Common Good
The Revd Dr James Jones
If the church is to re-invigorate an ethic of the common good it must do more than re-theorize society as a body, although that is a good first step. More »
Posted: 10 Jul 2020
To Find a Common Good, We Need a Common Language
Robert Gordon
The issue we face is not primarily one of resolve - there are many passionate people acting positively - but rather it is one of division. More »
Posted: 05 Jul 2020 - 1 comment
What kind of City do we want? Transcript of keynote speech given on 24th June 2020
James Featherby
James Featherby, Chair of the Church of England's Ethical Investment Advisory Group, talks on the purpose and role of the financial sector in society today. More »
Posted: 27 Jun 2020
Was something missing from under the Dome?
The Rt Revd Dr Peter Selby
The real problem was that we could not allow ourselves - or so it seemed - to consider what it was that had given banks such inflated importance. More »
Posted: 26 Jun 2020
Good Banks: Transcript of Archbishop Justin Welby's speech on 12th June 2020
St Pauls Institute
A full transcript of the keynote speech for the third debate in our series 'The City and Common Good: What kind of City do we want?' More »
Posted: 24 Jun 2020
The Inflation We Love
The Rt Revd Dr Peter Selby
If cauliflowers and electricity become more expensive we get worried; if the same happens to houses we are really pleased. More »
Posted: 29 May 2020 - 1 comment
Good Money: Transcript of Lord Skidelsky's speech on 7th May 2020
St Pauls Institute
A full transcript of the keynote speech for the second debate in our series 'The City and Common Good: What kind of City do we want?' More »
Posted: 08 May 2020 - 1 comment
When You're Looking For Growth, What Should Count?
The Rt Revd Dr Peter Selby
St Paul's Institute is in the middle of its series on The City and the Common Good. The difficult part of that is that we seem to be dominated by the bits we can measure. More »
Posted: 02 May 2020
Good People: Transcript of Archbishop Vincent Nichols' speech on 11th April 2020
St Pauls Institute
A full transcript of the keynote speech for the first debate in our series 'The City and Common Good: What kind of City do we want?' More »
Posted: 12 Apr 2020
Who's Occupying Cyprus?
The Rt Revd Dr Peter Selby
The 'haircut' required of the Greek depositors involved Cypriot banks to a large extent, and the timebomb under the Cypriot economy started ticking. More »
Posted: 27 Mar 2020 - 1 comment
The Meaning of Austerity: Theological Perspectives
The Revd Dr James Walters
Austerity is linked to ancient themes of purification, atonement and sacrifice which, even in our more secular society, may continue to hold much power. More »
Posted: 05 Mar 2020 - 2 comments
Rating the Real Economy
The Rt Revd Dr Peter Selby
So it has happened. We are not AAA anymore. And now that we are not AAA we learn, not surprisingly, that being AAA was not the really important thing anyway. More »
Posted: 26 Feb 2020
[Event Series] The City and the Common Good: What kind of City do we want?
St Pauls Institute
This significant series of three events at St Paul's will probe key issues that underlie the report of the Parliamentary Inquiry into Banking and the wider financial sector. More »
Posted: 15 Feb 2020 - 1 comment
Keeping Universal Benefits - and taxing them
The Rt Revd Dr Peter Selby
Let's think through the issues being raised more and more about the 'fairness' of universal benefits. More »
Posted: 28 Jan 2020 - 1 comment
Converting Conversation into Action
Sally Reith
Why not take a look at how you manage your money and see what changes you can make to a more ethical choice in 2020. More »
Posted: 16 Jan 2020
Do You Pay to be Called?
The Rt Revd Dr Peter Selby
What does the incoming Governor of the Bank of England's salary package tell us about the job, about our attitudes to pay, and about our different standards for private and public service? More »
Posted: 04 Dec 2019
Danger - Theologians at Work
The Rt Revd Dr Peter Selby
What is happening now is a moral issue, which means it is also an issue of common sense and one that the wisdom of religious faith can speak on. More »
Posted: 20 Nov 2019 - 2 comments
Working Towards Sustainable Capitalism
William Andrews Tipper
What has got us to this point of crisis, and what can we do about it? The answer to both questions is "follow the money". More »
Posted: 06 Nov 2019
Al Gore speaks at St Paul's on Sustainable Capitalism
St Pauls Institute
St Paul's Cathedral has hosted Al Gore, former US Vice President, environmental advocate, and co-founder and Chair of Generation Investment Management. More »
Posted: 19 Oct 2019
Bound to the Poor - or just helping when we choose?
The Rt Revd Dr Peter Selby
The fashionable political consensus for the present is that we should be grateful for not being part of the Euro... More »
Posted: 04 Oct 2019
In Search of Authenticity
Robert Gordon
Can we discover a new level of authenticity that speaks directly to the experience of the individual whilst encouraging commitment to a shared, collective reality? More »
Posted: 25 Sep 2019 - 2 comments
Are You Ready for National Ethical Investment Week? (14th to 20th October)
Helen Wildsmith
The fifth annual NEIW is approaching, with more interest than ever before. More »
Posted: 14 Sep 2019
Wake-up Call
The Rt Revd Dr Peter Selby
How should Christians deal with the current economic crisis and the extra burdens imposed on the most vulnerable members of society? More »
Posted: 10 Aug 2019 - 2 comments
Welfare: Whose Responsibility Is It?
St Pauls Institute
Summary report covering speaker positions, Q&A; and further reflection from our recent seminar on welfare held on 29th June 2019. More »
Posted: 17 Jul 2019
Take God Out of the Balance Sheet, and Then Put Him Back
The Rt Revd Dr Peter Selby
By speaking of idolatry, we lay bare the fact that money has become a rival to true faith, a serious competitor against God for people's loyalty. More »
Posted: 08 Jul 2019
Religion and Our Economic Crisis: A View From Across the Pond
The Revd Dr James Jones
No moral issue other than the love of God and neighbor is mentioned more often in the Bible than the issues of wealth and poverty. More »
Posted: 02 Jul 2019
A Valuable Exchange at the Royal Exchange
Tanya Barman
May saw the launch of the CGMA ethics theme, and in the week we released our key report I attended the Michael Sandel event at St Paul's Cathedral. More »
Posted: 21 Jun 2019
Making a Difference Through Shareholder Activism
Natalie Langford
By learning more about how financial investments can be used as a tool for change, we can reform the way that corporations behave. More »
Posted: 14 Jun 2019
Money Has Changed - That's the Issue
The Rt Revd Dr Peter Selby
As a Christian and a theologian I am convinced money has acquired all the characteristics of an idol, aggrandising its power and claiming more and more of people's lives. More »
Posted: 06 Jun 2019
What Money Can't Buy - Join the Debate
St Pauls Institute
Following the public debate with Michael Sandel this evening, we want you to join the debate and have your say! More »
Posted: 23 May 2019 - 17 comments
The Church and Capitalism: Building for Systemic Change
Robert Gordon
How can our Church institutions formulate the new structural paradigms required in a manner that is relevant, effective and sustainable? More »
Posted: 01 May 2019 - 1 comment
Either Way, It's the Poorest Who Pay
The Rt Revd Dr Peter Selby
At last, it seems that the budget has brought to the surface a number of issues about the encouragement of charitable giving. More »
Posted: 16 Apr 2019
Money, Territory, and the New Generation
The Rt Revd Dr Peter Selby
What are we hoping to do as a society for those at present in their teens? What investment are we prepared to make in their future? More »
Posted: 21 Mar 2019
A Tale of Two Occupies
Robert Gordon
With the eviction of the Occupy camp outside of St Paul's, I thought it would be useful to put forward some reflections on my experience of the last few months. More »
Posted: 12 Mar 2019
Carrots and Sticks
The Rt Revd Dr Peter Selby
The complexities and moral inconsistencies of our attitudes have been thrown into sharp relief by the events of 2008 and those of 2018. More »
Posted: 22 Feb 2019
Financial Markets and the Investments of the Church
David Pitt-Watson
Markets need morals. And if the church is to be fully relevant to that debate, it needs not just to preach morality, but to practice it in the way it manages its money. More »
Posted: 24 Jan 2019
The Message in the Loot
The Rt Revd Dr Peter Selby
Examining what was looted in the riots is another way of asking, 'what, in our society, is there for the taking'. And what, by implication, is not? More »
Posted: 13 Jan 2019 - 1 comment
Minutes from Occupy London dialogue with the FSA
St Pauls Institute
Full and comprehensive minutes are now available from the meeting between representatives of Occupy London and Hector Sants of the Financial Services Authority. More »
Posted: 21 Dec 2018
If We Don't Hear One Message, We May Get Another
The Rt Revd Dr Peter Selby
We must engage with ideas that seek to change things for the better, or otherwise face behaviour patterns that inflict hurt on people. More »
Posted: 05 Dec 2018 - 1 comment
Value and Values: Perceptions of Ethics in the City Today
St Pauls Institute
The St Paul's Institute 2018 analytical report explores current perceptions of ethical values in the City and the role of the financial sector in relation to wider society. More »
Posted: 07 Nov 2018 - 3 comments
Value and Values: Where the Problems Lie
The Revd Andrew Studdert-Kennedy
In general conversation, the outcome of asking one question is almost always the wish to ask another. More »
Posted: 07 Nov 2018
'Highly Motivated' - Approaching the Challenge of FTSE100 Executive Remuneration
Dr James Corah
It is important to constantly monitor the balance between motivation and reward, and ethical investors can make a valued contribution to this debate. More »
Posted: 07 Nov 2018
'Beyond Hot Air': Protecting Value in a Changing Climate
Helen Wildsmith
Churches and charities have gone further than engagement and are leading the way by investing capital in climate friendly investments. More »
Posted: 18 Oct 2018
The Values of Money: The Just Economy
The Revd Andrew Studdert-Kennedy
Having spent several weeks exploring the financial world, I offer some thoughts about what I have learnt. For simplicity's sake, I suggest three points to consider. More »
Posted: 11 Oct 2018 - 2 comments
The Values of Money: Towards a Christian Response
The Revd Andrew Studdert-Kennedy
The church as an institution as well as individual Christians need to recognise that we are part of the financial world ourselves and dependent upon it. More »
Posted: 30 Sep 2018
Was it Just a Banking Crisis?
The Rt Revd Dr Peter Selby
With more or less reluctance the proposals to reconstruct the banking sector are being accepted as either desirable or inevitable. But will we need more than a ring-fence to protect us? More »
Posted: 20 Sep 2018
The Values of Money: No Longer a Noun
The Revd Andrew Studdert-Kennedy
Money is a dynamic force rather than the name for a particular set of objects. It functions like a verb and not a noun, a commodity that is an end in itself. More »
Posted: 16 Sep 2018
The Values of Money: Financial Bubbles
The Revd Andrew Studdert-Kennedy
There is widespread agreement that the immediate cause of every period of financial instability is the expansion of credit. More »
Posted: 31 Aug 2018
Probing the Virtues of Economic Growth
The Revd Dr Giles Fraser
We risk justifying greed by suggesting that the things we want are potentially unlimited. More »
Posted: 16 Aug 2018 - 16 comments
The Nuclear Debate
The Rt Revd Dr Peter Selby
Nuclear energy, we are constantly being told, is an inevitable part of reducing carbon emissions, absolutely necessary if we are to close the energy gap. Resistance to that argument is deemed irrational. More »
Posted: 05 Aug 2018
The Values of Money: Endless Growth?
The Revd Andrew Studdert-Kennedy
One of the most striking things about the economic down turn that followed the banking crisis was the uncertainty surrounding us when economic growth runs out. More »
Posted: 29 Jul 2018
The Values of Money: No Long View
The Revd Andrew Studdert-Kennedy
Revd Andrew Studdert-Kennedy's exploration into the workings of the Financial Services Industry continues with the fifth piece in the series. More »
Posted: 22 Jul 2018 - 1 comment
When Negative Equity is Social
The Rt Revd Dr Peter Selby
In the middle of the public outrage about the phone hacking scandal there have come to the surface some rather uncomfortable realities that are not being spoken of much. More »
Posted: 18 Jul 2018
The Values of Money: No Time to Pause
The Revd Andrew Studdert-Kennedy
Revd Andrew Studdert-Kennedy's exploration into the workings of the Financial Services Industry continues with the fourth in the series. More »
Posted: 08 Jul 2018
Rediscovering the 'Spirit' of Capitalism
Dr James Corah
Highlighting the role that the Church and its congregations play in implementing Christian values into the economic system. More »
Posted: 06 Jul 2018
The Values of Money: Starting Out
The Revd Andrew Studdert-Kennedy
Revd Andrew Studdert-Kennedy's exploration into the workings of the Financial Services Industry continues with the third in the series. More »
Posted: 24 Jun 2018
The Church as Institutional Investor
Edward Mason
The wealth of the church creates a challenge, and an opportunity, to model a style of institutional investment that reflects Christian values. More »
Posted: 15 Jun 2018 - 3 comments
The Values of Money: Making Contact
The Revd Andrew Studdert-Kennedy
Revd Andrew Studdert-Kennedy's exploration into the workings of the Financial Services Industry continues with this second part in the series. More »
Posted: 09 Jun 2018 - 3 comments
Multinational Companies and Human Rights - Is More Diligence Due?
Miles Litvinoff
The extractive industries - oil, gas and mining - are a sector where serious questions arise about companies' due diligence in avoiding harm. More »
Posted: 02 Jun 2018
The Values of Money: The Uses of Money
The Revd Andrew Studdert-Kennedy
The first in a series by Revd Andrew Studdert-Kennedy covering his journey towards a better understanding of the financial sector and its role in modern society. More »
Posted: 26 May 2018
Microinsurance and the Anglican Health Network
The Revd Paul Holley
The Anglican Church is opening up new markets for the insurance industry in developing countries around the globe. More »
Posted: 18 Mar 2018
Taking a Shared Interest in Fairtrade
Sally Reith
The ability and drive of people to come together and transform their own lives and those around them is something we should respect. More »
Posted: 02 Mar 2018
Get to Grips with Banks' Morality
The Revd Dr Giles Fraser
A response to the report published by the Ecumenical Council for Corporate Responsibility (ECCR) - 'The Banks and Society: Rebuilding Trust'. More »
Posted: 28 Feb 2018 - 2 comments
WikiLeaks: Where's the Public Interest?
Cathy James
Cathy James from Public Concern at Work discusses how WikiLeaks might be viewed under the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998. More »
Posted: 16 Dec 2010
Corporate Integrity: Has the Penny Dropped?
Tanya Barman
A look at the new UK Bribery Act recently passed into law which will be coming into effect in April, 2018. More »
Posted: 30 Nov 2010
From Fairtrade Fortnight to National Ethical Investment Week
Helen Wildsmith
National Ethical Investment Week was launched in 2008 to help families, Churches and charities reflect their values in their investments. More »
Posted: 09 Nov 2010
The MBA Oath: What Good is an MBA?
Max Anderson
Max Anderson, co-founder of the Harvard MBA Oath, discusses this new initiative that is proving increasingly popular and how it might be able to make a long-term impact. More »
Posted: 15 Sep 2010 - 2 comments
What is the Price of Morality in Financial Markets?
Andy Brookes
A Christian examination of how morality can fit into the business and dealings of the financial markets, and how we might view our individual role in the creation of a moral marketplace. More »
Posted: 06 Aug 2010
To Better the Boardroom, We Must Better Ourselves
Robert Gordon
It has almost become a cliché these days - ethics. Ever since the financial crisis people have been throwing around the term like rice at a wedding. More »
Posted: 29 Jul 2010 - 1 comment
Microfinance: Small is Beautiful
Tom Sanderson
Microfinance is coming of age. The industry has grown from its non-profit roots to become a fast growing commercial sector. More »
Posted: 20 Jul 2010
Men, Money and Morality: Can it work?
Leo Martin
Leo Martin, Director and Co-Founder of GoodCorporation, responds to the talk given by Niall Ferguson on Tuesday 6th July, 2010. More »
Posted: 08 Jul 2010 - 1 comment
Men, Money and Morality: How can trust in banking be restored?
Niall Ferguson
Talk given by Niall Ferguson under the dome of St Paul's Cathedral on Tuesday 6th July, 2010. More »
Posted: 07 Jul 2010 - 2 comments
The Markets and the Regulatory Wikipedia
David Rouch
You might expect lawyers secretly to relish the prospect of more rules for the financial sector. However, many of us are suspicious. More »
Posted: 02 Jul 2010
Moral Questions of the Financial Crisis
Paul Vallely
The global financial meltdown, and the faltering attempts by government to create the conditions for recovery across the nations, raise as many moral questions as they do technical, fiscal or economic ones. More »
Posted: 29 Jun 2010
Welcome to St Paul's Institute
The Rt Revd & Rt Hon Rowan Williams
A few words from Archbishop Rowan Williams on the new direction taken by St Paul's Institute. More »
Posted: 23 Jun 2010 - 6 comments
Human Well-Being and Economic Decision-Making
The Rt Revd & Rt Hon Rowan Williams
Transcript of the Archbishop's Keynote Address from the TUC Economics Conference; Congress House, London. More »
Posted: 16 Jun 2010 - 2 comments
2010: Decline and Opportunity for the World's Poor
Elisha London
As the world looks to South Africa this month to enjoy the goal scoring on the football field, five years ago the world united behind some different goals - the Millennium Development Goals. More »
Posted: 16 Jun 2010 - 2 comments
Regulation, Freedom and Human Welfare
St Pauls Institute
Transcript of the panel debate held October 20th, 2009. Panellists were Vince Cable MP, Brian Griffiths, Adair Turner, Nicholas Sagovsky. More »
Posted: 16 Jun 2010 - 1 comment
In Defence of Cash and the City
The Revd Dr Giles Fraser
"What can money do?" asks young Paul in Dickens' Dombey and Son. "Money, Paul, can do anything" comes his father's confident reply. More »
Posted: 16 Jun 2010 - 2 comments
More wallets, fewer willies
The Revd Dr Giles Fraser
Despite the Church's obsession with sexuality, the Bible says more about the morality of wealth. More »
Posted: 16 Jun 2010 - 1 comment
Franciscan Wisdom for a Global Future
Brother Samuel SSF
St Francis of Assisi is perhaps the worlds most well-known and best-loved saint. But there's a danger in popularity. More »
Posted: 16 Jun 2010 - 2 comments