Climate Changed

Market-Beating ‘Social’ Funds Bet on Technology, Clean Energy in 2017

  • Ten of 15 sustainability-focused funds beat the Russell 3000
  • Clean energy dip after 2016 elections was a buying opportunity
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Bets on environmentally and socially conscious companies last year paid off for several U.S.-based sustainable funds, which found that they could beat a robust bull market.

The Brown Advisory Sustainable Growth Fund, which focuses on finding large-cap growth companies with sustainable advantages in their businesses, took the top spot in Bloomberg’s second-annual ranking of ESG funds, after delivering a 28 percent return for 2017, outpacing the 19 percent advance for the S&P 500 Index.