Catholic Social Teaching
Seven core principles guide what we do, who we serve, and how we work.
In scripture and Tradition, every person is given clear instructions for how to live:
Love God, and love our neighbors. We strive to respond to this calling by offering up
our professional talents and expertise to help transform human experiences.
Key Tenets ›
Our Company
Implications ›
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Communion ›
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USCCB Details ›
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Contact Us ›
ButtonIn Mt 25: 14-46, Jesus tells us to make the best use of our talents to
help the least of our brothers. He isn't just making a suggestion.
He expects this of us who "have." We've been blessed with opportunities that have led to
a wealth of experience and knowledge that can advance a "greater good." We know we
can help people fully embrace the dignity of human life (Ps 139: 13-14).
We believe we've discerned our mission: Go and elevate people
and communities by strengthening the organizations that serve them.
Solutions for Non-profits › Governments › Businesses ›
Catholic Social Teaching
Our core principles guide what we do, who we serve, and how we work
In scripture and Tradition, every person is given clear instructions for how to live: Love God, and love our neighbors. We strive to respond to this calling by offering up our professional talents and expertise to help transform human experiences.
Key Tenets ›
Our Company
Implications ›
Button
Communion ›
Button
USCCB Details ›
Button
Contact Us ›
ButtonIn Mt 25: 14-46, Jesus tells us to make the best use of our talents to help the least of our brothers. He isn't just making a suggestion.
He expects this of us who "have." We've been blessed with opportunities that have led to a wealth of experience and knowledge that can advance a "greater good." We know we can help people fully embrace the dignity of human life (Ps 139: 13-14).
We believe we've discerned our mission: Go and elevate people and communities by strengthening the organizations that serve them.
KEY TENETS
PRINCIPLES OF CST
Business with a Higher Purpose
We believe our calling is best expressed in the social teachings of the Catholic Church, and we embrace our Catholic faith as fundamental to our business. In part, this means we have committed to following the social teachings of the Catholic Church. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) describes Catholic Social Teaching (CST) as comprising several key themes and associates them with the principle of solidarity.
Seven Themes of CST
Life and Dignity of the Human Person
CST starts with the fact that, from conception to natural death, every human being is a person with inherent dignity. Individuals should embrace and experience their own fundamental value, and society, both through human interactions and public policy, should treat others in ways that recognize this. We have a responsibility to love our our neighbors, willing the good of the other. It is from this principle that every other element of CST is derived.
Business with a Higher Purpose
We believe our calling is best expressed in the social teachings of the Catholic Church, and we embrace our Catholic faith as fundamental to our business. In part, this means we have committed to following the social teachings of the Catholic Church. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) describes Catholic Social Teaching (CST) as comprising several key themes, as shown below, and associates them with the principle of solidarity.
Seven Themes of CST
Life and Dignity of the Human Person
CST starts with the fact that, from conception to natural death, every human being is a person with inherent dignity. Individuals should embrace and experience their own fundamental value, and society, both through human interactions and public policy, should treat others in ways that recognize this. We have a responsibility to love our our neighbors, willing the good of the other. It is from this principle that every other element of CST is derived.
These themes are linked to subsidiarity, an important concept that decisions and plans "should be made [and implemented] at the lowest level possible, with higher... authorit[ies] intervening only if... lower levels [can't] accomplish a task as well or as efficiently." This makes sense, since the unique challenges and conditions individual communities face may not have monolithic solutions.
These themes are linked to subsidiarity, an important concept that decisions and plans "should be made [and implemented] at the lowest level possible, with higher... authorit[ies] intervening only if... lower levels [can't] accomplish a task as well or as efficiently." This makes sense, since the unique challenges and conditions individual communities face often don't have monolithic solutions.
IMPLICATIONS WHO, WHAT, AND HOW
Mission Orientation
CST guides the causes our work advances. For example, we focus on organizations that:
- Help people get through crisis situations and get back on their feet
- Support those with chronic needs that are obstacles to self-sufficiency
- Lift people up by empowering them and connecting them with real opportunity
- Strengthen families and build up the communities in which they live
- Promote and protect the lives of the most vulnerable members of society
- Work to reclaim and conserve the environment and its natural resources
- Advance freedom and legitimate human rights in the US and abroad
Elevating People and Communities
CST affects the challenges we seek to mitigate or eliminate. We want to solve pressing issues like hunger, homelessness, affordable working class housing, lack of access to quality health care, financial insecurity, mental and behavioral health challenges, un- and under-employment, crisis pregnancies, family struggles, and economically distressed and unsafe communities, among others. Individuals and groups affected by challenges in such areas are diverse, but they have in common the fact that they are our neighbors who need our help. We are all obligated to will and work for their good.
It also leads us to strengthening organizations at the levels of society supporting the most efficient and effective use of resources to provide the right assistance to those in need, when it's needed. Our clients are typically non-profits, governments, and businesses that serve localities and/or regions, because they know the issues, the people they affect, and how they manifest locally. While not always the case, they can often plan and deliver tailored services to their communities better than, for example, global and national entities that take "one size fits all" approaches.
Finally, the "spirit of CST" guides our philosophy. We're confident in our abilities, but we understand humility is essential. We don't have all of the answers ourselves, especially given the unique characteristics and nuances of local contexts. We also exist to take on our clients' causes and goals. These thing make collaboration a core value. It's by working together, combining our subject matter expertise and cross-sector experiences with our clients' situational knowledge, that we can make the most progress towards meeting community needs and solving the underlying socio-economic problems.
Mission Orientation
CST guides the causes our work advances. For example, we focus on organizations that:
- Help people get through crisis situations and get back on their feet
- Support those with chronic needs that are obstacles to self-sufficiency
- Lift people up by empowering them and connecting them with real opportunity
- Strengthen families and build up the communities in which they live
- Promote and protect the lives of the most vulnerable members of society
- Work to reclaim and conserve the environment and its natural resources
- Advance freedom and legitimate human rights in the US and abroad
Elevating People and Communities
CST affects the challenges we seek to mitigate or eliminate. We want to solve pressing issues like hunger, homelessness, affordable working class housing, lack of access to quality health care, financial insecurity, mental and behavioral health challenges, un- and under-employment, crisis pregnancies, family struggles, and economically distressed and unsafe communities, among others. Individuals and groups affected by challenges in such areas are diverse, but they have in common the fact that they are our neighbors who need our help. We are all obligated to will and work for their good.
It also leads us to strengthening organizations at the levels of society supporting the most efficient and effective use of resources to provide the right assistance to those in need, when it's needed. Our clients are typically non-profits, governments, and businesses that serve localities and/or regions, because they know the issues, the people they affect, and how they manifest locally. While not always the case, they can often plan and deliver tailored services to their communities better than, for example, global and national entities that take "one size fits all" approaches.
Finally, the "spirit of CST" guides our philosophy. We're confident in our abilities, but we understand humility is essential. We don't have all of the answers ourselves, especially given the unique characteristics and nuances of local contexts. We also exist to take on our clients' causes and goals. These thing make collaboration a core value. It's by working together, combining our subject matter expertise and cross-sector experiences with our clients' situational knowledge, that we can make the most progress towards meeting community needs and solving the underlying socio-economic problems.
PARTICIPATION ECONOMY FOR ALL
The Economy of Communion Initiative
We're a member of the Economy of Communion (EoC), a global project aimed at addressing social issues through business practices that prioritize community welfare and shared values. Anchored in CST, it started in 1991 in São Paulo, Brazil as a mandate to create a new economic model integrating business success with social responsibility. Participants allocate a percentage of their profits to support those in need, and to foster a culture of giving within their communities. In some ways, the EoC is similar to the Certified B Corporation® movement, so it's natural that we adopt its principles.
Key EoC Principles
The following are the essential commitments made by companies that designate themselves as EoC participants:
- Community Focus — EoC businesses are integral parts of their communities, aiming to address social problems by creating meaningful jobs and supporting local initiatives focused on improving people's lives and the places in which they live. We do this primarily by working with organizations alleviating poverty, helping in crisis, etc., and businesses that provide opportunities in under-served areas.
- Human-Centered Approach — The EoC emphasizes the importance of relationships and the well-being of all stakeholders, prioritizing human dignity over mere profit. This mirrors the Catholic business ethic of seeking only reasonable profits to keep ourselves whole and re-invest in our business. Our ultimate goal as a company is to help people, not to make excessive amounts of money off of their problems.
- Profit Sharing —
A significant aspect of the EoC is the commitment of businesses to share their profits for three main objectives: (1) Aiding the needy, (2) Developing the business, and (3) Promoting a culture of communion. We are firmly committed to this principle—in fact, we go beyond profit and allocate a percentage of our gross revenue to non-profits that address the issues we're concerned about the most.
The Economy of Communion Initiative
We're a member of the Economy of Communion (EoC), a global project aimed at addressing social issues through business practices that prioritize community welfare and shared values. Anchored in CST, it started in 1991 in São Paulo, Brazil as a mandate to create a new economic model integrating business success with social responsibility. Participants allocate a percentage of their profits to support those in need, and to foster a culture of giving within their communities. In some ways, the EoC is similar to the
Certified B Corporation® movement, so it's natural that we adopt its principles.
Key EoC Principles
The following are the essential commitments made by companies that designate themselves as EoC participants:
- Community Focus — EoC businesses are integral parts of their communities, aiming to address social problems by creating meaningful jobs and supporting local initiatives focused on improving people's lives and the places in which they live. We do this primarily by working with organizations alleviating poverty, helping in crisis, etc., and businesses that provide opportunities in under-served areas.
- Human-Centered Approach — The EoC emphasizes the importance of relationships and the well-being of all stakeholders, prioritizing human dignity over mere profit. This mirrors the Catholic business ethic of seeking only reasonable profits to keep ourselves whole and re-invest in our business. Our ultimate goal as a company is to help people, not to make excessive amounts of money off of their problems.
- Profit Sharing — A significant aspect of the EoC is the commitment of businesses to share their profits for three main objectives: (1) Aiding the needy, (2) Developing the business, and (3) Promoting a culture of communion. We are firmly committed to this principle—in fact, we go beyond profit and allocate a percentage of our gross revenue to non-profits that address the issues we're concerned about the most.
