United Methodist Church and United Methodist Women Policies
United Methodist Women Foundations for Sustainable Events
Monitoring Institutional Racism (1992)
Child Labor and Corporate Responsibility (1994)
The Rugmark Campaign/Goodweave
Global Racism: A Violation of Human Rights (1995)
Chlorine Free Policy (1997)
Principles of Environmental Responsibility (1998)
- Practice garbage prevention.
- Recycle and buy recycle.
- Zero tolerance for toxins.
- Avoid plastics.
- Conserve energy.
- Produce and consume locally grown food.
- Use natural, safe materials.
- Promote the total well-being of people in the purchasing and planning decisions of any event.
Fair Trade Coffee and Tea Policy (1999)
Affirmative Action (submitted to General Conference 2004)
Caring for God’s Creation (2011)
From United Methodist Women Social Policy Statements and Recommended Actions 1968-2012
United Methodist Church Foundations for Sustainable Meetings
The following statements refer to The Book of Resolutions of The United Methodist Church 2012.
Energy Conservation and Alternative Energy Sources and Auditing Existing Energy Useage
- #1001, Energy Policy Statement
Support strenuous efforts to conserve energy and increase energy efficiency. All United Methodists are to be models for energy conservation.
- #1002, U.S. Energy Policy and United Methodist Responsibility
Move beyond dependence on high carbon fossil fuels, managing demand through conservation and energy efficiency, support infrastructure needed for public transportation and ride sharing, conduct an energy audit.
Freeing Ourselves From Toxic Pollution
- #1022, A Dioxin-free Future
Encourage study and evaluation of alternative products and practices that will lead to the reduction and elimination of the use of PVC products.
- #1023, Environmental Justice for a Sustainable Future
Human needs within the capacity of ecosystems.
Support Least Toxic Alternatives and Organic Farming
- #1024, Environmental Law: The Precautionary Principle
Holding society to this higher standard of care for God’s creation, including replacing known toxic chemicals with the least toxic alternatives and support organic farming.
The Intersection of Race and Environmental Concerns
- #1025, Environmental Racism
Urging general agencies to become more involved with community groups working to end environmental racism.
The Use of Carpools, Mass Transit and More Careful Management of Ground Water
- #1026, Environmental Stewardship
Urging all United Methodists to carpool, use mass transit, more careful management and preservation of ground water sources.
Reduction of Levels of Consumption, Reusing and Recycling
- #1027, God’s Creation and the Church
Requesting that church agencies be stewards of God’s creation by reducing levels of consumption and participating in programs that reuse and recycle goods.
- #1030, Recycling and the Use of Recycled Products
Using recycled and processed chlorine free paper and participating in all available recycling programs and advocate for their expansion.
Evaluating Our Carbon Footprint and Reducing Accordingly
- #1031, Resolution on Global Warming
Evaluating lifestyles to identify areas where reductions in production and release of greenhouse gases can be made.
Fair Trade, Sustainable Practices
- #4051, The United Methodist Church, Justice and World Hunger
Calling on The United Methodist Church to promote environmental justice and sustainable practices, supporting community organizing to effect change in systems that keep people poor and powerless, becoming involved in fair trade activism and composting, recycling conserving energy, practicing and supporting organic gardening.
Liveable Wages and Benefits, Clean Water for All
- #4052, Economic Justice for a New Millennium
Calling on the whole church to work with people in local communities to identify specific economic issues that affect families, communities and individuals. Issues include jobs with livable wages and benefits, debt, plant closings, relocation, public education, homelessness, affordable housing, and event sanitation, clean water and energy needs.
Affirmative Action, Equal Opportunity, Fair Trade, No Child Labor
- #4054, Pathways for Economic Justice
Supporting locally based businesses, model sustainable living by recycling and avoiding use of disposable products, buy organic, fair trade, “sweat free” and without child labor or slave labor. Support policies of affirmative action and equal opportunity employment.
Recognition and Addressing the Inequity of Impact Around Environmental Concerns
- #4059, Global Economy and Environment
Requiring roughly equivalent environmental standards between one’s own country and any other country.
Fair Wages, Workers’ Rights, Safe and Healthy Workplace, Decent Living Standards, Commitment to Community Economic Development
- #4060, Global Living Wage
Calling on The United Methodist Church to facilitate the creation of conditions that encompass fundamental workers’ rights, fair wages, a safe and healthy workplace, reasonable hours of work, decent living standards, support for community infrastructure, and commitment to community economic development.
Sufficient Livable Wages, Health Care
Affirming historic support for the living wage movement and calling on businesses and governments to adopt policies to ensure employees are paid sufficient wages to afford shelter, food, clothing, health care and other basic expenses, according to local costs of living.
Provisions Made for Safety and Health in Event Places and Workplaces
- #4132, Environmental Health and Safety in Workplace and Community
Provision for safety and health of persons in event places and workplaces.
Support of Labor Organizing
Supporting the rights of workers to organize and bargain collectively.
Rights of Those With Disabilities Respected
- #3002, United Methodist Implementation of the United Nations’ Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons With Disabilities and the Americans With Disabilities Act
Urging all congregations and agencies to implement and enforce the provision of the United Nations’ Standard Rules and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) with the same vigor and interest as they would any other law affecting their able bodied constituency; this includes accessible buildings, bathrooms and parking; telephone access; hymnals in large print and other alternative formats; closed captioning of all audiovisual media; amplification, assistive listening devices, and/or professional American Sign Language interpretation.
Strengthening Affirmative Action Legislation and Programs
- #3373, Affirmative Action
Constituting a model in society by practicing and strengthening our own affirmative action legislation and programs.
- #3371, A Charter for Racial Justice Policies in an Interdependent Global Community
Eliminating all forms of institutional racism in the total ministry of the church with special attention given to those institutions we support, beginning with their employment policies, purchasing practices and availability of services and facilities.
The United Methodist Council of Bishops’ “In Defense of Creation” (2009)
Calls United Methodists to act boldly to address poverty and inequality, environmental degradation and climate change and promote peace. As part of the process, United Methodist bishops began a process of measuring and reducing their carbon footprints and invited others to follow.
United Methodist Women Board of Directors Policy Reaffirmation
“In light of the strong ecologically and racially just principles from the Book of Resolutions 2012, in 2013, United Methodist Women are interested in fully:
- Renewing their commitment to measure impact and monitor green and economically just procedures and actions at events.
- Renewing their commitment to transparency, accountability and communication to both members and national staff.
- Renewing their commitment to educating and training and working together with a cadre of United Methodist Women who will continue this measurement, monitoring and encouraging to more sustainable ways of event throughout the organization.”