# Values-Based Investors

Source: https://integrityfinancialplan.com/who-we-serve/values-based-investors
Last updated: 2026-09-28

Faith-based and ESG investing through Personal Index Portfolios. Exclude the companies you object to, keep index-like exposure, and pay no extra fee for the screens. Fee-only fiduciary in Houston.


You should not have to choose between your convictions and a low-cost, diversified portfolio. Because Personal Index Portfolios own individual stocks, we can exclude companies, sectors, or practices you object to, and the screens come at no additional cost.

## Key takeaways

- We build faith-based and ESG portfolios by excluding specific companies or sectors from a Personal Index Portfolio.
- Exclusions are set with you and documented in your Investment Policy; they are included in the advisory fee.
- The portfolio remains a low-cost, index-tracking core; active tax management is available for taxable accounts.

## Who this is for

- Investors who want faith-based screens (for example, Catholic, Protestant, or Islamic guidelines)
- ESG-minded investors who want to define their own criteria rather than accept a fund's
- Anyone who has felt the "values" fund they bought did not match their values

## Problems it solves

- Specialty ESG or faith funds with higher fees and screens you did not choose
- No way to see, at the holding level, what you actually own
- Worry that screening sacrifices returns

## What makes it different

Screens are applied at the stock level in your own account, so you can see exactly what is excluded and why. The portfolio still tracks its index closely, and tax-loss harvesting continues to run.

## How it works

1. **Tell us what matters.** Faith guidelines, environmental or social criteria, or a list of companies. Our financial personality assessment includes a "Purpose" dimension that helps surface this.
2. **We translate it into rules.** Exclusions are written into your Investment Policy so they are applied consistently.
3. **We build the portfolio.** Your [Personal Index Portfolio](/services/personal-index-portfolios) tracks its index while skipping the excluded names, and, for taxable accounts that elect it, [active tax management](/services/personal-index-portfolios#how-we-manage-taxes) runs as usual.
4. **You can see it.** Holdings-level transparency in your own account.

## Related reading

- [Personal Index Portfolios: faith-based investing](/insights/personal-index-portfolios-faith-based-investing)
- [Aligning your investments with your values](/insights/aligning-your-investments-with-your-values)
- [Rethinking what ESG investing means](/insights/rethinking-what-esg-investing-means)

## Frequently asked questions

### Does values-based screening hurt returns?

Modest exclusions typically create small tracking differences against the index, positive in some periods and negative in others. We measure that tracking difference and show it to you, so the trade-off is visible instead of assumed.

### Can I exclude a specific company?

Yes. Individual companies, industries, or sectors can be excluded, and the exclusions can change over time.

### Do you charge more for faith-based or ESG portfolios?

No. Values screens are included in the [advisory fee](/fees) for Personal Index Portfolios. Active tax management for taxable accounts is optional and separately priced.