Last updated: August 26, 2025
Catholic Climate Covenant AI Usage Policy
Effective date: May 21, 2025
ANTIQUA ET NOVA addresses the anthropological and ethical challenges raised by AI—issues that are particularly significant, as one of the goals of this technology is to imitate the human intelligence that designed it. For instance, unlike many other human creations, AI can be trained on the results of human creativity and then generate new “artifacts” with a level of speed and skill that often rivals or surpasses what humans can do, such as producing text or images indistinguishable from human compositions. This raises critical concerns about AI’s potential role in the growing crisis of truth in the public forum. Moreover, this technology is designed to learn and make certain choices autonomously, adapting to new situations and providing solutions not foreseen by its programmers, and thus, it raises fundamental questions about ethical responsibility and human safety, with broader implications for society as a whole. This new situation has prompted many people to reflect on what it means to be human and the role of humanity in the world.
Note on the Relationship Between Artificial Intelligence and Human Intelligence (#3)
January 25, 2025
This policy aims to provide clear guidelines on the ethical and responsible use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) within Catholic Climate Covenant (CCC) while upholding our values of sustainability, environmental responsibility, and respect for human dignity. Our organization recognizes the importance of balancing technological advancement with stewardship of God’s creation, and this policy seeks to reflect our commitment to these principles.
This policy applies to all staff, volunteers, interns, board members, steering committee members, subcommittee members, and any individuals who engage or may engage with AI technologies in the course of their work at CCC or when they represent CCC in any fashion.
Environmental Stewardship and AI
CCC is committed to the responsible use of technology, understanding that certain AI applications may have significant environmental impacts, including dramatically increasing energy consumption and costs — not just for data centers but for everyone, including those who can least afford it — overconsumption of natural resources such as water in cooling technologies, minerals, and carbon emissions.
CCC staff, volunteers, board members, interns, and any individual representing the Covenant in written media are encouraged to:
Limit AI usage: Ask yourself:
Is the information I seek available elsewhere besides an AI application?
Can I draft this without the use of an AI application?
Will the use of AI enhance a specific organizational goal or the Covenant’s mission better than I can do so without the tool?
Evaluate the environmental impact of AI tools, particularly when considering new technologies or services. Preference should be given to tools and platforms that prioritize sustainability and environmental efficiency.
Be mindful of resource consumption, particularly in cloud-based AI services. All are encouraged to minimize the unnecessary use of AI tools that may contribute to the overall carbon footprint.
Acceptable AI
There are some software and technologies that cannot be avoided in the course of our work, or whose benefits might outweigh their risks. The following AI tools are acceptable in assisting individuals affiliated with and working on behalf of CCC, but not for creating content from scratch in the place of or as a substitute for human creation:
Adobe
Canva
LinkedIn
Google and Google Suite applications
Microsoft Edge and Microsoft applications
Meta Suite applications
WordPress
Grammarly
Salsa and Bonterra applications
Jotform
The usage of software or AI not mentioned in the above list must be approved by administrative personnel before usage.
Acceptable Usage
All AI mentioned above must be used in accordance with the law and the ethical policies set forth in Catholic Climate Covenant’s handbook and guidelines.
Responsible use: AI must not be relied on for the generation of new content, but instead for research, best practices recommendations, and data generation.
Secure use: If using one of the approved acceptable AI applications, do not share with it any sensitive personal or company information, such as identifying information, passwords, or authorization codes.
Accurate use: AI has been known to generate content with false, misleading, or outdated information. CCC-affiliated individuals must ensure that if using one of the approved AI applications above, all information is verified as correct.
Fair use: A core component of AI is using other published and public works and information to create a basis for its generated content. The use of AI tools increases the risk of violating a third party’s intellectual property rights. It is up to users to verify that any AI-generated content is not a violation of another individual’s intellectual property rights.
Disclosure: Users must disclose and describe how AI was used in their content creation at the end or bottom of the content.
AI Use in Meetings and Note-taking
Many users expressed concerns about the use of AI in meetings, particularly regarding note-taking tools. Therefore, CCC staff, volunteers, and others working for or on behalf of CCC should follow these guidelines:
No AI-assisted note-taking: AI tools should not be used for taking meeting notes or summarizing discussions during internal meetings unless explicitly authorized by the executive director, the board of directors, the steering committee, or other administrative/ leadership personnel, or in cases where it is crucial for meeting efficiency and effectiveness. Exceptions are allowed for differently-abled individuals who use AI as a form of ability assistance.
Manual note-taking preferred: Meeting notes should be taken manually by designated individuals in order to preserve the human element of communication and ensure that the meeting’s discussion is fully understood and appropriately and accurately captured.
Respect for confidentiality and data privacy: For privacy and security purposes, AI tools should not be used during meetings that discuss sensitive information, such as personnel, financial, or policy discussions, to ensure that sensitive information remains confidential and that participants’ privacy is respected.
AI Usage in Operations and Decision-Making
While the use of AI may offer efficiencies in specific operational tasks, decisions should always be made with human oversight. The organization will:
Avoid AI use in decision-making: AI may be employed for data analysis, pattern recognition, or forecasting when it provides value to our work. However, all critical decisions, particularly those related to mission, ethics, sustainability, and human impact, should involve human judgment.
Evaluate AI tools for bias and fairness: In the rare instances when an AI tool is employed, or when an AI tool not included in the above list is being investigated for potential unethical usage, care should be taken to examine the tool’s potential biases and fairness concerns. CCC is committed to ensuring that AI is only used to promote justice and equity, reflecting the dignity of all people, and that the AI in question does not have an overwhelmingly negative environmental and human impact.
Ethical Considerations
CCC recognizes that the introduction of AI technologies can raise ethical concerns. The organization will:
Engage in ongoing dialogue: Staff and volunteers will be encouraged to participate in discussions on the ethical implications of AI in staff meetings and in webinars and content produced for external usage. This includes conversations on its environmental impact, data privacy, and potential harm.
Provide education and training: Staff will receive information where possible on the responsible and ethical use of AI, with an emphasis on aligning with Catholic social teachings, including environmental stewardship, dignity of work, and human rights.
Respect personal autonomy: Staff members and others affiliated with CCC are encouraged to voice any concerns they may have about the use of AI in the workplace, particularly regarding its impact on their work and the mission of CCC, with their supervisor or a board member.
Exceptions and Special Considerations
In certain situations, AI tools may be necessary to enhance productivity, research, or service delivery. The following exceptions apply:
Explicit approval required: Any use of AI tools outside of this policy requires prior approval from senior leadership or the designated policy oversight committee.
Specific project needs: AI tools may be approved for specific projects that require advanced technological capabilities (e.g., data analysis, simulations, or global environmental tracking). In these cases, the environmental and ethical impact of AI usage will be carefully assessed.
Ability assistance: AI tools have the ability to assist differently-abled individuals with completing tasks efficiently and on time. AI usage considerations will be made for differently-abled individuals.
Compliance and Accountability
CCC will regularly review its AI policy to ensure that it remains aligned with the organization’s mission, sustainability goals, and evolving ethical standards. Additionally, this policy will be reviewed as more AI tools become available, and as the AI tools listed above develop, to ensure that approved AI tool usage is still ethical, and to investigate whether existing permitted or new tools may meet our ethical criteria to add to the above list or be removed from the list if necessary. All CCC-affiliated individuals are expected to adhere to this policy when performing work for the Covenant and report any concerns regarding AI usage to their supervisor or a board member.
Conclusion
CCC recognizes that the use of AI has both positive and negative impacts, and we are committed to using this technology in ways that reflect our commitment to the common good, the environment, and the dignity of all people. This policy serves as a guideline for staff to use AI responsibly and thoughtfully, ensuring that it serves our mission and upholds our values of sustainability and ethical stewardship.
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