Sustainable fund categories
Sustainability focused
These funds favour companies that offer products and services that encourage greener lifestyles or show sustainability leadership. They typically avoid sectors that don’t help raise environmental and/or social sustainability standards, as well as arms and tobacco companies.
Environmentally focused
These funds focus on environmental opportunities - from single issues like water, resource management or waste, to broader issues such as biodiversity and climate change.
Socially focused
These funds focus on people issues - from employment and education, to diversity, equality and human rights. They invest in companies with positive social practices.
Ethically focused
These funds focus on issues relating to personal values or opinions. They typically invest in companies with more positive environmental and social practices and avoid areas that are widely regarded as more negative - like arms, tobacco and gambling
Faith-based
These funds focus on faith-based issues. They tend to use negative ethical screening to invest in assets that align with a recognised religion or faith. Other funds may also be suitable for investors of faith, although their core focus is not religious beliefs.
ESG (environmental, social and governance) weighted
These funds will consider environmental, social and governance (ESG) or sustainability issues, but aren't wholly directed by them. They tend to favour companies with higher ESG or sustainability standards.
Limited exclusions
These funds only limit investment in or exclude a small number of companies such as tobacco companies or companies that breach commonly adopted ESG standards. They may aim to encourage companies to improve their standards.