Author Archives: RFBF

On July 8, 2014, Religious Freedom & Business Foundation research associate Melissa Grim gave the following report of the Foundation’s activities at the International Religious Freedom Roundtable.

Thank you for the opportunity to share about the work of the Religious Freedom & Business Foundation. The Foundation educates the global business community about how religious freedom is good for business, and engages the business community in joining forces with government and non-government organizations in promoting respect for freedom of religion or belief.

I would like to talk about 5 initiatives that the Foundation is working on. The first relates to Impact Investment, which is investing in sustainable businesses that have a positive social impact in ways that lower religious tensions and increase interfaith understanding. As part of this initiative, the Foundation will develop a global impact database based on the technology of the World Religion Databasebased at Boston University. The “Global Impact Investment Database” will link entrepreneurs and innovators with sustainable business opportunities in areas of social need around the world. The database will be state-of-the-art and built on the technology of the World Religion Database. The database will foster such enterprises as the waste-to-wealth project for Dalits, being developed with university, aid and development partners from Finland. Brazilian business partners are working with the Foundation to develop the web interface, include mechanisms for paid businesses memberships, which we believe will make the project self-sustaining and revenue-generating.

The second is the Business, Faith & Freedom Global Forum starting at the World Expo in Milan in 2015. “Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life” – presents a perfect platform for companies in food-related industries to showcase how religion and religious freedom makes their businesses more successful, innovative and responsive to the needs of people. The Global Forum will showcase sustainable enterprises that help ethnic & religious minorities better integrate and contribute to the societies in which they live.

Third, the Foundation will present the Religious Freedom & Business Global Awards in the host city of each summer and winter Olympics, beginning in Rio, 2016. The Global Awards recognize the best advances and innovations by businesses in improving respect for religious freedom. For-profit businesses from any country eligible to be nominated. Award winners will direct the Award prize money to a religious freedom organization of their choice from a list of those helping to educate the global business community about how religious freedom is good for business and/or engaging the business community in joining forces with government and non-government organizations in promoting respect for freedom of religion or belief.

Fourth, the Foundation is involved in Research and Education projects. President Grim along with researchers at Georgetown University and Brigham young published the study: “Is Religious Freedom Good for Business?: A Conceptual and Empirical Analysis,” which is available on the website of the Interdisciplinary Journal of Research on Religion (IJRR). The study finds that Religious freedom is one of only three factors significantly associated with global economic growth. The study looked at GDP growth for 173 countries in 2011 and controlled for two-dozen different financial, social, and regulatory influences. The study, however, goes beyond simple correlations by empirically testing and finding the tandem effects of government restrictions on religion and social hostilities involving religion (as measured by the Pew Research Center) to be detrimental to economic growth while controlling for 23 other theoretical, economic, political, social, and demographic factors.

Finally, the Foundation has a number of Education projects in development. It is working with leading business schools and educational institutions to develop an internet-based certificate course on how business, freedom and religion interact. Components of the future course include two tracks – one for corporate executives and representatives, and another for undergraduate and graduate students. There will be multi-media modules covering facts on topics ranging from religious freedom and its relation to socio-economic outcomes to case studiesof core business enterprises that promote interfaith understanding and peace.

Additionally the Foundation is working with leading interfaith groups, business schools and educational institutions to develop a “Self-Reliance Curriculum.” Obtaining self-reliance life skills is a pressing need among many vulnerable communities who are susceptible to radicalization, such as Muslims in the UK. The project will make available to interfaith training teams a curriculum of self-reliance that could be taught to members of vulnerable communities by interfaith teams beginning in the UK and then taken globally.

The Foundation is the first organization dedicated to educating businesses about why religious freedom will enable them to be more productive and successful, and how they can effectively incorporate religious freedom in their strategic business plans for the benefit of their stakeholders, their employees and society.

Anne Goujon, Research Group Leader, Wittgenstein Center for Demography and Global Human Capitol, Vienne Austria, writing in the Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion gave a positive review of Grim’s bookThe World’s Religions in Figures: An Introduction to International Religious Demography, co-authored with Todd Johnson.

Goujon writes the book is “a must read for one interested in the field of international religious demography.” The review states that in the 21st century “(w)within which religion is an omnipresent factor, international religious demography has become the key provider of scientific knowledge relevant for a debate ‘driven by anecdotes and conjectures’” and “the book is one of the first important bricks in the wall of studies about international religious demography.” The review notes that one of the merits of the book is that it takes a truly global perspective towards religious populations, instead of maintaining a European or North American approach. Additionally the statistical section “considers the entire population, including the unaffiliated, irrespective of whether they are agnostic, atheists, or simply do not identify with the religious institutions in place.”

The book is now available for purchase.

The Second Annual Oxford Journal of Law and Religion Summer Academy will be held 23-28 June 2014 at St. Hugh’s College, Oxford. The summer academy is a major international event that brings together leading academics, policy makers, international officials, and practicing lawyers working in the field of law, religion, and international relations.

Brian Grim and Pasquale Annicchino will be speaking at the event titled Sacred and Secular Varieties of Secularism and International Religious Freedom from the Perspectives of Comparative Law, International Law and Foreign Policy.

Annicchino will speak on 23 June 17, 2014, presenting his article “Is the European Union Joining the International Religious Freedom Bandwagon?” under the panel of Religion and Foreign Policy – Emerging Trends. He will also chair a panel June 24 on International Law and Foreign Affairs – European Perspectives. Annicchino will be representing the European University Institute, Florence.

Grim will speak on 25 June, presenting his journal article “Religious Freedom’s Link to Economic Growth,” under the panel of Religion, Business and Foreign Policy. Grim represents the Religious Freedom & Business Foundation.

Full program here.

Washington, DC – (June 12, 2014) On 6 June 2014, Presidents and Seiple of the Religious Freedom & Business Foundation (RFBF) and the Institute for Global Engagement (IGE) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) formalizing the partnership between the two like-minded organizations that seek to build religious freedom worldwide.

“In line with the RFBF’s mission to ‘engage the business community in joining forces with government and non-government organizations in promoting respect for freedom of religion or belief’, IGE’s “track 1.5” approach, working at the nexus of governments and grassroots organizations, will complement the efforts of the RFBF. Having worked alongside Seiple and IGE for many years now, I am excited to see the fruit of our official partnership,” noted Grim.  

In order to enhance the breadth of both institutions and discover new synergies and efficiencies, IGE and RFBF agreed to work together in good faith to expand existing programs and initiatives as well as create new ones. Potential areas of collaboration include, but are not limited to: A certificate program on international religious freedom promotion and socially responsible global business, offered in conjunction with one or more respected business schools; special issues of The Review of Faith & International Affairs (RFIA) on select themes; and, film documentaries of success stories of businesses that have made a difference for religious freedom.

“I greatly respect the work of my colleague and friend, Brian Grim. I look forward to deepening our working relationship through this MOU. Our organizations share a commitment to freedom of conscience or belief and track record of practical and mutually reinforcing innovation in this field,” commented Seiple following the signing of the MOU.  

Formalizing such a partnership is a natural extension of existing synergies. Grim and the RFBF provide the quantitative metrics while Seiple and IGE provide the qualitative experiences. In addition to the formal partnership between the two institutions, Dr. Seiple also serves on Dr. Grim’s Board of Directors. Grim is a member of the Religion and Foreign Policy Working Group, through the Federal Advisory Committee initiated by Secretary Clinton, of which Dr. Seiple serves as Senior Advisor. Grim was also recently invited to join the World Economic Forum’s Council on the Role of Faith where Dr. Seiple serves as Chair.

British Parliament, London, June 10, 2014 – Today,Religious Freedom & Business Foundation President Brian Grim discussed a new study finding that religious freedom is one of only three factors significantly associated with global economic growth.

The study, by researchers at Georgetown University and Brigham Young University, looked at GDP growth for 173 countries in 2011 and controlled for two-dozen different financial, social, and regulatory influences.

The briefing was open to Members of Parliament and the public. Lord Alton of Liverpool hosted the event at 11:00 AM, Committee Room 3A. The briefing follows the June 9 launch of the new website of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on International Religious Freedom.

Brian J. Grim is an author of the study, President of the RF&B Foundationand researcher on the economics working group of Georgetown University’s Religious Freedom Project. Grim is also a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council on the Role of Faith for 2014-2016.

Washington, D.C., May 29, 2014 – Religious freedom is one of only three factors significantly associated with global economic growth, according to a new study by researchers at Georgetown University and Brigham Young University. The study looked at GDP growth for 173 countries in 2011 and controlled for two-dozen different financial, social, and regulatory influences.

As the world navigates away from years of poor economic performance, religious freedom may be an unrecognized asset to economic recovery and growth, according to this new study. The study examines and finds a positive relationship between religious freedom and ten of the twelve pillars of global competitiveness, as measured by the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Index (see example in chart).

The study, however, goes beyond simple correlations by empirically testing and finding the tandem effects of government restrictions on religion and social hostilities involving religion (as measured by the Pew Research Center) to be detrimental to economic growth while controlling for 23 other theoretical, economic, political, social, and demographic factors.

The new study also furthers previous work in the field, including 
The Price of Freedom Denied (by Brian Grim & Roger Finke, Cambridge, 2011). Grim & Finke’s research showed that religious freedom is a key ingredient to peace and stability, as measured by the absence of violent religious persecution and conflict. This is particularly important for business because where stability exists, there is more opportunity to invest and conduct normal and predictable business operations, especially in emerging and new markets.

The new study observes that religious hostilities and restrictions create climates that can drive away local and foreign investment, undermine sustainable development, and disrupt huge sectors of economies. Such has occurred in the ongoing cycle of religious regulation and hostilities in Egypt, which has adversely affected the tourism industry, among other sectors. Perhaps most significant for future economic growth, the study notes that young entrepreneurs are pushed to take their talents elsewhere due to the instability associated with high and rising religious restrictions and hostilities.

Religious freedom when respected within a company can also directly benefit the bottom line. This includes both improved morale and lower costs. For instance, the clothing retailer Abercrombie & Fitch fought and lost a religious discrimination case in 2013 related to firing a Muslim stock girl for wearing a scarf in violation of the company’s dress code. The case resulted not only in substantial legal costs but also in negative national publicity.

Moreover, freedom of religion or belief is a human right protected in numerous treaties and agreements, including the UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The study suggests that businesses may gain a competitive advantage by meeting the expectations of stakeholders who are increasingly demanding that companies play a positive role in addressing issues of social concern and fairness.

The study’s findings are timely given the rising tide of restrictions on religious freedom documented by Pew Research, showing that 76% of the world’s people currently live with high religious restrictions or hostilities. And the findings are especially relevant because the research shows that the largest markets for potential growth are in countries where religious freedom is highly restricted – casting a question mark over the long-term sustainability of growth in countries such as China. (See The Weekly Number for more on China.)

• The full report, “Is Religious Freedom Good for Business?: A Conceptual and Empirical Analysis,” is available on the website of the Interdisciplinary Journal of Research on Religion (IJRR). The authors of the study are Brian J. Grim, Georgetown University’s Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, and Greg Clark and Robert Edward Snyder, Brigham Young University’s International Center for Law and Religion Studies. 

For related content see: Seven Reasons Why Religious Freedom is Good for Business

The Religious Freedom & Business Foundation is a non-partisan, not-for-profit organization working globally to show how religious freedom is good for sustainable business and innovation. The Foundation educates the global business community about how religious freedom is good for business, and engages the business community in joining forces with government and non-government organizations in promoting respect for freedom of religion or belief. It does not take positions on political debates.

Media inquiries, contact Melissa Grim, 410-268-7809, melissa@religiousfreedomandbusiness.org

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PRESS RELEASE: May 29, 2014
The Religious Freedom & Business Foundation and the UN Global Compact’s Business for Peace platform held a webinar on May 21, 2014, discussing exciting new global sustainable and innovative business initiatives that help foster peace and lower religious hostilities.

NEW LANDMARK RESEARCH was also previewed during the Webinar: Religious Freedom Linked to Economic Growth, Finds Global Study

Brian Grim, President of the Religious Freedom & Business Foundation, discussed how the Foundation is looking for ways to foster respect for religious freedom and religious minorities in response to the social and economic harms that occur as a result of the cycle of violence that occurs as government restrictions on religious freedom stoke social hostilities involving religion, and vice versa. One example discussed below is helping Dalits turn waste into wealth.

Grim also discussed projects in the works, such as the Business, Faith & Freedom Forum at the World Expo in Milan in 2015, which will include an exciting look into how the business of food and religious freedom intersect. He also discussed the Global Awards to be held in Rio de Janeiro during the 2016 Olympics.

Melissa Powell from the UN Global Compact’s Business for Peace platform discussed their 17 global compact networks, and the data they have compiled over the past decade. They have over 100 companies around the world from 29 countries participating. Their work has focused on how the private sector can contribute to peace, and how implementation can differ from country to country yet with the same guiding principles.

Participants in the webinar discussed relevant case studies with reference to how religious freedom is good for business.

Ed Brown from Stefanus Alliance International, Norway, described a project of helping theDalits, Hindu cast members in India, Pakistan and Nepal, in creating a sustainable industry in waste management.

Ricardo Leite, Esq., President of Brazil’s Association of Religious Freedom & Business, discussed the high level meetings that the nation has hosted regarding religious freedom and business at Brazil’s judicial, administrative and executive levels. A new project is to introduce a business school curriculum focused on fostering respect and awareness of the benefits of religious freedom.

Joyce S. Dubensky, Esq., CEO TANENBAUM, discussed how Tanenbaum helps companies develop and implement concrete strategies for addressing religious diversity and inclusion. Religion is a very powerful force in peoples’ lives, and it emerges in workplaces. When companies manage and implement pragmatic strategies for accommodating their employees’ religious beliefs and practices, they combat religious discrimination – and improve bottom line business goals. Tanenbaum is a secular organization promoting respect for religious diversity in the workplace.

Greg Clark, Esq., Vice President of the Religious Freedom & Business Foundation, discussed how when a business is respectful of its employees’ religious beliefs, work productivity is increased and employee retention is greatly promoted. He stressed that employees are the backbone of any corporation, and incurring their loyalty is key to a business’ success.

Pasquale Annicchino, Ph.D., LL.M., Senior Research Fellow of the Religious Freedom & Business Foundation, and Research Fellow at the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies, European University Institute discussed the Business, Faith & Freedom Forum at the World Expo in Milan in 2015, which will include an exciting look into how the business of food and religious freedom intersect. Annicchino also noted how it will help inform and set a standard for future projects of the Religious Freedom & Business Foundation.

Otto Kölbl, researcher at the Université de Lausanne Faculté des lettres, section d’allemand, discussed an interesting new project in Tibet.  His research has shown how facilitating the Tibetan tourist industry will help them culturally, economically and religiously, as well as bring peace, harmony and cooperation in the region.

By Brian Grim – May 26
Originally published by Canon & Culture

Freedom of religion or belief is good for business. As outlined in Article 18 of the UN Declaration of Human Rights,

Article 18: Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.

But why is it good for business? In short, because religious freedom:

• Fosters respect
• Reduces corruption
• Engenders peace
• Encourages broader freedoms
• Develops the economy
• Overcomes over-regulation
• Multiplies trust

First, religious freedom fosters respect by protecting something that more than eight-in-ten people worldwide, 84 percent according to a recent Pew Research study, identify with – a religious faith. Given that so many people are attached to a faith, to violate the free practice of religion runs the risk of alienating the mass of humanity, something that certainly would not be ideal for morale and socio-economic progress. Indeed, forcing the 16 percent of people with no specific religious attachment to have a religion would likewise be alienating. Religious freedom ensures that people, regardless of their belief or nonbelief, are accorded equal rights and equal opportunity to have a voice in society.

Second, religious freedom reduces corruption, one of the key ingredients of sustainable economic development. For instance, research finds that laws and practices burdening religion are related to higher levels of corruption. This is borne out by simple comparison between the Pew Research Center’s 2011 Government Restrictions on Religion Index with the 2011 Corruption Perceptions Index. Eight of the ten most corrupt countries have high or very high governmental restrictions on religious liberty. Religious freedom also implies that business people can draw on religious values and moral teachings in their businesses. The attempt to force businesses to act as secular, neutral, value-free organizations may be one contributing factor to the corruption, greed and short-sighted decisions that lead to the global economic collapse of 2008 that still affects many people and nations today. Allowing religion to inform business ethnics certainly is an underused activity implied by religious freedom.

Third, research clearly demonstrates that religious freedom engenders peace by reducing religion-related violence and conflict. Conversely, when religious freedom is not respected and protected, the result is often violence and conflicts that disrupt normal economic activities. Religious hostilities and restrictions create climates that can drive away local and foreign investment, undermine sustainable development, and disrupt huge sectors of economies. Such has occurred in the ongoing cycle of religious regulations and hostilities in Egypt, which has adversely impacted the tourism industry. More generally, religious freedom is a key ingredient to peace and stability, which is particularly important for business because, where stability exists, there is more opportunity to invest and conduct normal and predictable business operations, especially in emerging and new markets. This is the topic of the 2011 Cambridge University Press book, The Price of Freedom Denied.

Fourth, religious freedom encourages broader freedoms that contribute to positive socio-economic development. Economist and Nobel laureate Amartya Sen, for instance, argues that societal development requires the removal of sources of “unfreedom.” And restrictions on religious freedom are certainly a source of unfreedom. Removing impediments to religious freedom facilitates freedom of other kinds. And research finds empirical evidence or this relationship. Religious freedom is highly correlated with the presence of other freedoms and a variety of positive social and economic outcomes ranging from better health care to higher incomes for women. While correlations are not causation, the correlations suggest that a more robust future research agenda should focus on better understanding these connections because it appears the freedoms rise or fall together.

Fifth, religious freedom develops the economy. When religious groups operate in a free and competitive environment, religion can play a measurable role in the human and social development of countries. For instance, sociologist Robert Woodberry finds that the presence of proselytizing Protestant faiths, i.e., faiths competing for adherents, was associated with economic development throughout the world in the previous century. Even before that, Alexis de Tocqueville recognized that such Protestant associations in the early U.S. of these sorts established seminaries, constructed inns, created churches, disseminated books, and founded hospitals, prisons and schools. And these contributions are not just a legacy from the past. Katherine Marshall, former director of the Development Dialogue on Values and Ethics at the World Bank and former director in the World Bank’s Africa and East Asia regions, also recognizes that faith communities not only provide education and health services but they also provide social safety nets for orphans, disabled people and people who fall behind.

Sixth, religious freedom overcomes over-regulation that accompanies certain types of religious restrictions that directly limit or harm economic activity. A few current examples from the Muslim-majority countries – a set of countries with particularly high religious restrictions – are illustrative of how the lack of religious freedom contributes to worse economic and business outcomes. Religious restrictions among Muslim-majority countries impacting businesses take many forms. One direct religious restriction impacting economic freedom involves Islamic finance. For instance, businesses involved in creating, buying or selling Islamic financial instruments can find the situation that one Islamic law (sharia) board deems a particular instrument acceptable while another board does not, making the instrument’s acceptance on stock exchanges subject to differing interpretations of sharia. Religious restrictions also include legal barriers for certain import and export industries, such as the halal food market and outright bans of certain blockbusters from the film industry. And, certain government laws and restrictions on religious freedom can stoke religion-related hostilities that disrupt markets throughout the region. Examples range from employment discrimination against women over such things as headscarves to the misuse of anti-blasphemy laws to attack business rivals. And perhaps most significantly for future economic growth, research shows that the instability associated with high and rising religious restrictions and hostilities can influence young entrepreneurs to take their talents elsewhere.

And seventh, religious freedom multiplies trust. Religious freedom, when respected within a company, can also directly benefit a company’s bottom line. These include both lower costs and improved morale. An example of lower costs includes less liability for litigation. For instance, the clothing retailer Abercrombie & Fitch fought and lost a religious discrimination case in 2013 related to firing a Muslim stock girl for wearing a scarf in violation of the company’s dress code. The case resulted not only in substantial legal costs but also negative national publicity. Respect for reasonable accommodation of religious freedom in the workplace can improve employee morale, increase retention of valued employees, and help with conflict resolution. Moreover, businesses may gain a competitive advantage by engaging stakeholder expectations that are increasingly demanding that companies play a positive role in addressing environmental, social and governance challenges. As recognized by business consulting group McKinsey & Company, the ethical stakeholder has clearly emerged and is on the rise. Important business stakeholders include business partners, investors and consumers, and a growing segment of ethically sensitive customers tend to prefer companies that are responsive to human rights. Indeed, consumer and government preferences given to human-rights-sensitive companies may give a company an advantage in competitive markets and enable it to charge premium prices and land choice contracts. And recognizing this human rights impact on branding, companies such as Gap have assumed shared responsibility for the conditions under which its goods are manufactured.

Given that religious freedom contributes to better economic and business outcomes, advances in religious freedom are in the self-interest of businesses, governments and societies. While this observation does not suggest that religious freedom is the sole or even main anecdote to poor economic performance, it does suggest that religious freedom is related to economic success. Certainly, businesses would benefit from taking religious freedom considerations into account in their strategic planning, labor management and community interactions. For instance, when evaluating locations for future research and development operations, countries with good records on religious freedom may be a better environment to find societies open to innovation and experimentation.

• Brian Grim is president of the Religious Freedom & Business Foundation and a leading expert on international religious freedom and the socio-economic impact of restrictions on religious freedom, and an expert on international religious demography and religion-related violence.