Kotak Mahindra Mutual Fund has launched ‘Kotak ESG Opportunities Fund’.
The open ended equity fund will focus on environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors and the principles for responsible investing (PRI).
In a press release, the company said, “The fund will look at policies, practices and disclosures of each ESG pillar i.e. for environmental performance, it will be energy efficiency measures, waste management including e-waste management, carbon & greenhouse gas (GHG) emission footprint, and renewable energy use; for social performance it will be employee working conditions, welfare & training, and health & safety standards; and for assessing governance performance, it will look at whistle-blower and anti-corruption policy, no child labour policy, anti-sexual harassment policy, diversity and inclusivity policies and practices.”
Harsha Upadhyaya, CIO – Equity & President, Kotak Mahindra MF said, “Performance of all three bottom-lines – profit, planet (environment) and people (social) are equally important as against looking at only the profit bottom-lines few years back. ESG investment principles look even at ‘how companies make money’ and not just at ‘how much money the company makes’. The fund will focus on the ESG principles and disclosures of the investee company with the flexibility of investing across market capitalisation range with the aim to create sustainable wealth for our investors.”
The fund house will use Sustainalytics ESG Risk Ratings – a provider of ESG research, ratings and data to support its Kotak ESG Opportunities Fund.
