The guiding
principle which Friends [Quakers] should keep in mind in making an
income, whether by work or by investment, should be the good of others
and of the community at large, and not simply of themselves or their
own family. Friends should, even at the risk of loss, strive to be
strictly honest and truthful in their dealings; should refuse to
manufacture or deal in commodities that are hurtful, and should be
vigilant against obtaining an undue profit at the cost of the
community. If Friends are investing, thought should be given, not only
to security and the rate of interest, but to the conditions under which
the income is produced and the effect which the investment may have on
the welfare of all, through social or environmental impact, at home or
elsewhere. In spending income, Friends should consider how their
actions affect society and whether such expenditure upon themselves and
their family is to the advantage of the community as a whole. Friends
should also consider whether there is a reasonable relation between the
labour expended on producing the things they buy and the real
satisfaction yielded by their use.
Christian faith and practice in the experience of the
Society of Friends
Yearly Meeting of
the Religious Society of Friends in Britain, 1994