A recent landmark High Court judgment in the case of Butler-Sloss v Charity Commission sets out revised legal principles which describe the investment duties and powers of charity trustees. The legal principles set out in the judgment, handed down on 29 April 2022, apply immediately to all charity trustees when investing and take priority over Charity Commission guidance.
In the case, the trustees of the Ashden Trust and Mark Leonard Trust were authorised by the court to prioritise climate change mitigation over financial returns when investing. Bates Wells acted for the successful claimants in the case. However, the principles in the case are of wide application and reframe the duties of charity trustees in a way that shifts the traditionally exclusive focus on financial risk and return to a broader range of relevant considerations, such as positive and negative impacts.
In this webinar, we examined the full implications of the case for charities and will answer your questions. You may wish to read our explanatory note of the judgment, which explains the key legal principles applicable to charity trustees when investing.
This webinar does not constitute formal trustee training: please get in touch if you are interested in bespoke training for your trustees or advice in relation to your charity’s specific circumstances.