The ethical 12: group of green UK equity funds outperforms average
If you want to better understand what is happening in the values-based investment market, here is the performance of 12 funds that aim to meet clients' values while delivering returns.
Clients are no longer having to decide between being true to their personal values or getting a return on their investments, according to our sample of 12 funds labelled 'ethical' by fund researcher Lipper.
There are many UK equity funds available in the UK that fund researcher Lipper has assigned an 'ethical' flag to. These have variously labelled themselves 'responsible', 'environmental' and 'sustainable', as well as 'ethical'.
Of those, 12 funds have performance data for the last five years (to 31 December 2017). This gallery showcases those 12.
The average one-year performance of the 12 funds was 16.39%, or 3.6 points above the average return rate for all UK equity companies
Over three years they beat the all-company average by 2.11%.
These ethical funds, at 76.11%, outperformed the market avergae over five years by 8.6 points.
Over one and five years the 12 ethical funds also outperformed the FTSE All-Share index.
Read more on ethical funds and how advisers are using them here.
Performance
1 Year | 3 Year | 5 Year | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
31/12/2016 To 31/12/2017 | 31/12/2014 To 31/12/2017 | 31/12/2012 To 31/12/2017 | ||
Sector, Default Benchmark | FTSE All-Share TR | 13.1% | 33.34% | 62.98% |
Average Manager | Sector: Equity - UK (All Companies) | 12.9% | 30.92% | 67.86% |
Average Fund Performance,excluding Ethical Funds | Sector: Equity - UK (All Companies) | 12.79% | 31.06% | 67.51% |
Average Ethical Fund | 16.39% | 33.17% | 76.11% |
Aberdeen Responsible UK Equity
Asset manager Aberdeen Standard Investments
Fund manager Ben Ritchie
Profile Ben Ritchie manages the Aberdeen Responsible UK Equity Fund as a member of the UK and European Equities Team. Ben originally joined Aberdeen in 2002 as a graduate. Ben graduated with a BA (Hons) in Modern History and Politics from Pembroke College, University of Oxford and is a CFA Charter holder.
Manager Rating N/A
Performance
1 Year: 12.29%
3 Year: 31.51%
5 Year: 50.45%
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Asset manager EdenTree Investment Management
Fund manager Susan Round
Profile
Susan Round controls a significant amount of assets for EdenTree Investment Management across a wide range of sectors. Funds under her jurisdiction include the ethically screened Amity unit trust, which invests in British companies and is open to individuals, corporate bodies and charitable groups. Round is also responsible for the the UK Equity Growth fund. For this fund she targets growth companies.
Manager Rating -
Performance
1 Year: 11.88%
3 Year: 24.71%
5 Year: 60.96%
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F&C Responsible UK Equity Growth
Asset manager F&C Asset Management
Fund manager Catherine Stanley
Profile
Born in 1970, Catherine Stanley attended St Albans High School for Girls before studying Geography at Oriel College Oxford. Following a 10 year stint with Framlington Asset Management, Catherine joined F&C Asset Management in 2000 where she has responsibility for the UK Dynamic and UK Smaller Companies funds. Catherine describes her investment style as being focussed on selecting quality growth stocks and when away from work her recreational interests include the theatre, music and art.
Manager Rating +
Performance
1 Year: 18.67%
3 Year: 35.76%
5 Year: 77.92%
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Asset manager Kames Capital
Fund manager Audrey Ryan
Profile
Audrey Ryan is an investment manager in the UK Equities team with responsibility for managing several funds, including the Kames Ethical Equity Fund and Kames UK Opportunities Fund. In addition, Audrey has analysis duties for the travel & leisure sector, and is a small-cap specialist. She joined Kames Capital in 1997 from General Accident where she was a UK small companies portfolio manager. Audrey studied Accounting at Napier University, is a qualified chartered accountant and has an MSc in Investment Analysis. Away from the financial world, Ryan enjoys going to the theatre, tennis and running.
Manager Rating -
Performance
1 Year: 13.51%
3 Year: 28.62%
5 Year: 80.87%
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Asset manager Legal & General
Fund manager Team-managed
Performance
1 Year: 11.20%
3 Year: 22.47%
5 Year: 61.85%
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Liontrust Sustainable Future UK Growth
Asset manager Alliance Trust
Fund manager Neil Brown
Profile
Born in Dubai and now based in London, Neil Brown is an SRI Investment Manager at Alliance Trust where he manages the Sustainable Future Pan European and Future European using an SRI investment style. Neil graduated from Manchester University with a BA in Economics and an MSc in Development Economics. Outside of fund management he enjoys skiing and the theatre.
Manager Rating A
Performance
1 Year: 20.74%
3 Year: 43.18%
5 Year: 96.41%
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Asset manager Alliance Trust
Fund manager Neil Brown
Profile
Born in Dubai and now based in London, Neil Brown is an SRI Investment Manager at Alliance Trust where he manages the Sustainable Future Pan European and Future European using an SRI investment style. Neil graduated from Manchester University with a BA in Economics and an MSc in Development Economics. Outside of fund management he enjoys skiing and the theatre.
Manager Rating A
Performance
1 Year: 22.52%
3 Year: 41.59%
5 Year: 95.7%
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Asset manager Premier Asset Management
Fund manager Chris Wright
Profile
Chris Wright joined Premier Asset Management in 2008 and is the fund manager of the Premier Optimum Income Fund and Premier Ethical fund. He joined Premier from Thames River Capital. He has over 30 years of investment experience and is a member of the UK Society of Investment Professionals.
Manager Rating +
Performance
1 Year: 18.77%
3 Year: 40.96%
5 Year: 105.48%
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Royal London Sustainable Leaders Trust
Asset manager Royal London Asset Management
Fund manager Michael Fox
Profile
RLAM's Mike Fox is head of Sustainable Investments and fund manager of the Sustainable Leaders, World and Diversified Trusts. Prior to this, he worked as a deputy fund manager at the Co-operative employee pension fund for two years and an investment analyst for two years covering the utility, support services and media sectors. Fox originally trained and qualified as a Chartered Accountant with Ernst & Young in Manchester.
Manager Rating A
Performance
1 Year: 14.93%
3 Year: 34.86%
5 Year: 84.08%
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Scottish Widows Environmental Investor
Asset manager Scottish Widows
Fund manager Team-managed
Performance
1 Year: 12.34%
3 Year: 23.97%
5 Year: 56.46%
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Scottish Widows Ethical
Asset manager Scottish Widows
Fund manager Team-managed
Performance
1 Year: 15.83%
3 Year: 28.72%
5 Year: 57.3%
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Standard Life Investments UK Ethical
Asset manager Standard Life Investments
Fund manager Lesley Duncan
Profile
Lesley Duncan was born in 1968 and gained a BA (Hons) in Business Economics (Finance) and an MPhil in International Finance. She has eight years of experience as a fund manager. Lesley started her career in 1993 at Botwell Asset Management, working as a Trainee Analyst responsible for the fundamental research of several UK sectors. In 1995, she joined Standard Life Investments as a Trainee Investment Analyst on the UK desk. From 1999-2001, Lesley became investment manager with responsibility for a UK segregated pension fund. She was appointed manager of the Standard Life Investments UK Ethical Fund in 2004.
Manager Rating A
Performance
1 Year: 23.99%
3 Year: 41.66%
5 Year: 85.82%
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Clients are no longer having to decide between being true to their personal values or getting a return on their investments, according to our sample of 12 funds labelled 'ethical' by fund researcher Lipper.
There are many UK equity funds available in the UK that fund researcher Lipper has assigned an 'ethical' flag to. These have variously labelled themselves 'responsible', 'environmental' and 'sustainable', as well as 'ethical'.
Of those, 12 funds have performance data for the last five years (to 31 December 2017). This gallery showcases those 12.
The average one-year performance of the 12 funds was 16.39%, or 3.6 points above the average return rate for all UK equity companies
Over three years they beat the all-company average by 2.11%.
These ethical funds, at 76.11%, outperformed the market avergae over five years by 8.6 points.
Over one and five years the 12 ethical funds also outperformed the FTSE All-Share index.
Read more on ethical funds and how advisers are using them here.
Performance
1 Year | 3 Year | 5 Year | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
31/12/2016 To 31/12/2017 | 31/12/2014 To 31/12/2017 | 31/12/2012 To 31/12/2017 | ||
Sector, Default Benchmark | FTSE All-Share TR | 13.1% | 33.34% | 62.98% |
Average Manager | Sector: Equity - UK (All Companies) | 12.9% | 30.92% | 67.86% |
Average Fund Performance,excluding Ethical Funds | Sector: Equity - UK (All Companies) | 12.79% | 31.06% | 67.51% |
Average Ethical Fund | 16.39% | 33.17% | 76.11% |
Aberdeen Responsible UK Equity
Asset manager Aberdeen Standard Investments
Fund manager Ben Ritchie
Profile Ben Ritchie manages the Aberdeen Responsible UK Equity Fund as a member of the UK and European Equities Team. Ben originally joined Aberdeen in 2002 as a graduate. Ben graduated with a BA (Hons) in Modern History and Politics from Pembroke College, University of Oxford and is a CFA Charter holder.
Manager Rating N/A
Performance
1 Year: 12.29%
3 Year: 31.51%
5 Year: 50.45%
Asset manager EdenTree Investment Management
Fund manager Susan Round
Profile
Susan Round controls a significant amount of assets for EdenTree Investment Management across a wide range of sectors. Funds under her jurisdiction include the ethically screened Amity unit trust, which invests in British companies and is open to individuals, corporate bodies and charitable groups. Round is also responsible for the the UK Equity Growth fund. For this fund she targets growth companies.
Manager Rating -
Performance
1 Year: 11.88%
3 Year: 24.71%
5 Year: 60.96%
F&C Responsible UK Equity Growth
Asset manager F&C Asset Management
Fund manager Catherine Stanley
Profile
Born in 1970, Catherine Stanley attended St Albans High School for Girls before studying Geography at Oriel College Oxford. Following a 10 year stint with Framlington Asset Management, Catherine joined F&C Asset Management in 2000 where she has responsibility for the UK Dynamic and UK Smaller Companies funds. Catherine describes her investment style as being focussed on selecting quality growth stocks and when away from work her recreational interests include the theatre, music and art.
Manager Rating +
Performance
1 Year: 18.67%
3 Year: 35.76%
5 Year: 77.92%
Asset manager Kames Capital
Fund manager Audrey Ryan
Profile
Audrey Ryan is an investment manager in the UK Equities team with responsibility for managing several funds, including the Kames Ethical Equity Fund and Kames UK Opportunities Fund. In addition, Audrey has analysis duties for the travel & leisure sector, and is a small-cap specialist. She joined Kames Capital in 1997 from General Accident where she was a UK small companies portfolio manager. Audrey studied Accounting at Napier University, is a qualified chartered accountant and has an MSc in Investment Analysis. Away from the financial world, Ryan enjoys going to the theatre, tennis and running.
Manager Rating -
Performance
1 Year: 13.51%
3 Year: 28.62%
5 Year: 80.87%
Asset manager Legal & General
Fund manager Team-managed
Performance
1 Year: 11.20%
3 Year: 22.47%
5 Year: 61.85%
Liontrust Sustainable Future UK Growth
Asset manager Alliance Trust
Fund manager Neil Brown
Profile
Born in Dubai and now based in London, Neil Brown is an SRI Investment Manager at Alliance Trust where he manages the Sustainable Future Pan European and Future European using an SRI investment style. Neil graduated from Manchester University with a BA in Economics and an MSc in Development Economics. Outside of fund management he enjoys skiing and the theatre.
Manager Rating A
Performance
1 Year: 20.74%
3 Year: 43.18%
5 Year: 96.41%
Asset manager Alliance Trust
Fund manager Neil Brown
Profile
Born in Dubai and now based in London, Neil Brown is an SRI Investment Manager at Alliance Trust where he manages the Sustainable Future Pan European and Future European using an SRI investment style. Neil graduated from Manchester University with a BA in Economics and an MSc in Development Economics. Outside of fund management he enjoys skiing and the theatre.
Manager Rating A
Performance
1 Year: 22.52%
3 Year: 41.59%
5 Year: 95.7%
Asset manager Premier Asset Management
Fund manager Chris Wright
Profile
Chris Wright joined Premier Asset Management in 2008 and is the fund manager of the Premier Optimum Income Fund and Premier Ethical fund. He joined Premier from Thames River Capital. He has over 30 years of investment experience and is a member of the UK Society of Investment Professionals.
Manager Rating +
Performance
1 Year: 18.77%
3 Year: 40.96%
5 Year: 105.48%
Royal London Sustainable Leaders Trust
Asset manager Royal London Asset Management
Fund manager Michael Fox
Profile
RLAM's Mike Fox is head of Sustainable Investments and fund manager of the Sustainable Leaders, World and Diversified Trusts. Prior to this, he worked as a deputy fund manager at the Co-operative employee pension fund for two years and an investment analyst for two years covering the utility, support services and media sectors. Fox originally trained and qualified as a Chartered Accountant with Ernst & Young in Manchester.
Manager Rating A
Performance
1 Year: 14.93%
3 Year: 34.86%
5 Year: 84.08%
Scottish Widows Environmental Investor
Asset manager Scottish Widows
Fund manager Team-managed
Performance
1 Year: 12.34%
3 Year: 23.97%
5 Year: 56.46%
Scottish Widows Ethical
Asset manager Scottish Widows
Fund manager Team-managed
Performance
1 Year: 15.83%
3 Year: 28.72%
5 Year: 57.3%
Standard Life Investments UK Ethical
Asset manager Standard Life Investments
Fund manager Lesley Duncan
Profile
Lesley Duncan was born in 1968 and gained a BA (Hons) in Business Economics (Finance) and an MPhil in International Finance. She has eight years of experience as a fund manager. Lesley started her career in 1993 at Botwell Asset Management, working as a Trainee Analyst responsible for the fundamental research of several UK sectors. In 1995, she joined Standard Life Investments as a Trainee Investment Analyst on the UK desk. From 1999-2001, Lesley became investment manager with responsibility for a UK segregated pension fund. She was appointed manager of the Standard Life Investments UK Ethical Fund in 2004.
Manager Rating A
Performance
1 Year: 23.99%
3 Year: 41.66%
5 Year: 85.82%
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