The Ethical Concerns in Investments Committee was charged with creating policy and procedural recommendations relating to ethical investment concerns. The committee was created after 1981 in response to campus concerns and questions of college investments particularly as they relate to apartheid South Africa. The committee was made up of the Board's Investment Committee plus ad hoc members.

In October of 1983 the Board of Trustees adopted a policy relating to ethical investment concerns. In April 1985, the Berea College Board of Trustees provided for the establishment of a On-Campus Advisory Committee on Ethical Investment Concerns consisting of thirteen members of faculty, students and alumni.The committee was charged with serving in an advisory capacity by preparing recommendations with supporting evidence to the Board's Investment Committee.  At the same time, a resource library was established in the Labor and Student Life Office with materials for committee members