Brethren Benefit Trust investment funds meet or beat most industry enchmarks.

Brethren Benefit Trust's socially responsible Pension and Brethren Foundation nvestment funds continued to meet or beat most industry benchmarks in 2003, according to release from the agency. BBT's investment success has not been short-lived. An analysis f returns over the past five years shows that BBT funds consistently meet or exceed industry benchmarks.

"BBT's favorable long-term investing performance is continuing proof that screening out firms that don't conform to Brethren values as part of BBT's Socially Responsible Investing philosophy does not adversely affect investment performance," said Wil Nolen, BBT president. "This proves that we can witness to our beliefs by not investing in firms that promote defense, gaming, alcohol, tobacco, or engage in human rights violations, without sacrificing earnings."

For example, the Brethren Pension Plan's Balanced Fund (60 percent common stock, 40 percent bonds) gained 20.3 percent for the year while the Brethren Foundation's Balanced Fund gained 20.8, producing annualized returns of 2.4 and 3 percent over five years. A blend of the Standard and Poor's 500 Index and the Lehman Brothers Government/Credit Index was up 19.1 percent and 2.3 percent for the same time periods.

BBT manages more than $350 million of pension, insurance, asset management, and deferred gift monies for Church of the Brethren members and agencies. Descriptions of BBT's investment funds are at www.brethrenbenefittrust.org. For more information call Loyce Swartz Borgmann at 800-746-1505.

Source: Newsline 3/19/2004 top