Highest-ranked ESG fund in the UK is betting big on India, shows data

A major bet on India as a growth market for low-carbon projects just propelled a UK fund to the top of this year’s ESG rankings.

The Stewart Investors India Subcontinent Sustainability fund, which is domiciled in Britain but manages its £442 million ($592 million) of client money from Singapore, returned 31.2 per cent in the year through November according to Morningstar Inc. data. That’s better than any other UK fund using environmental, social and governance investing strategies over the same period, according to Morningstar classifications.

India has a smaller carbon footprint than Europe and the US and is on track to increase investments in infrastructure and manufacturing, according to an analysis provided by Stewart Investors, which oversees a total of $25 billion. That outlook includes significant spending on renewable energy and low-carbon technologies, it said.