Socially conscious funds ranked by one-year total return
The top-performing socially conscious funds broken down by category.
Values-based investing won new attention this quarter when BlackRock Inc. announced plans to launch BlackRock Impact, a unit catering to investors’ social, environmental or religious goals. But the largest money manager is just one of many companies offering funds based on more than performance. Advisers need not take returns completely off the table as they shop around, however, as this list demonstrates. The following portfolios posted the top performance among funds tracking more than $82 billion in assets, according to Lipper.
DOMESTIC EQUITY
| Fund | 1-year return | 3-year return | 5-year return | Portfolio net assets ($M) | Expense ratio* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parnassus Endeavor Fund (PARWX) | 20.57% | 20.45% | 16.97% | $812.6 | 0.95% |
| Ariel Fund Investor (ARGFX) | 19.91% | 21.75% | 17.90% | $2,312.4 | 1.03% |
| Vanguard FTSE Social Index Fund Investor (VFTSX) | 17.35% | 20.38% | 16.70% | $1,558.5 | 0.27% |
| Praxis Growth Index Fund I (MMDEX) | 17.31% | 18.68% | 16.57% | $171.3 | 0.47% |
| Parnassus Fund (PARNX) | 16.95% | 20.15% | 16.80% | $668.0 | 0.86% |
| Domini Social Equity Fund Investor (DSEFX) | 16.25% | 15.49% | 14.73% | $1,077.5 | 1.20% |
| Dreyfus Third Century Fund Z (DRTHX) | 16.16% | 15.94% | 15.12% | $322.1 | 1.01% |
| Epiphany FFV Fund N (EPVNX) | 16.03% | 16.17% | 14.24% | $30.8 | 1.50% |
| Calvert Social Index Fund A (CSXAX) | 15.89% | 18.31% | 15.67% | $423.8 | 0.75% |
| GuideStone Equity Index Fund Inv (GEQZX) | 15.75% | 17.55% | 15.84% | $418.5 | 0.39% |
| Domestic-equity SRI funds average/total | 11.39% | 15.35% | 14.30% | $46,041.7 | 1.24% |
FIXED INCOME
| Fund | 1-year return | 3-year return | 5-year return | Portfolio net assets ($M) | Expense ratio* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GuideStone Extended-Duration Bond Fund Investor (GEDZX) | 14.31% | 7.91% | 10.51% | $317.2 | 0.76% |
| Calvert Long Term Income Fund A (CLDAX) | 12.43% | 6.88% | 8.16% | $91.3 | 1.25% |
| TIAA-CREF Social Choice Bond Fund Institutional (TSBIX) | 7.67% | N/A | N/A | $348.5 | 0.40% |
| GuideStone Medium-Duration Bond Fund Investor (GMDZX) | 5.11% | 3.57% | 5.14% | $919.5 | 0.65% |
| Calvert Tax-Free Bond Fund A (CTTLX) | 5.09% | 2.44% | 3.58% | $143.2 | 0.93% |
| Calvert Bond Portfolio A (CSIBX) | 5.06% | 3.67% | 4.53% | $869.8 | 1.12% |
| Praxis Intermediate Income Fund A (MIIAX) | 4.27% | 2.60% | 4.02% | $415.5 | 0.95% |
| Parnassus Fixed Income Fund (PRFIX) | 3.72% | 1.52% | 3.43% | $196.3 | 0.68% |
| PIMCO Total Return Fund III Institutional (PTSAX) | 3.69% | 3.43% | 4.75% | $1,421.3 | 0.50% |
| Epiphany FFV Strategic Income Fund N (EPINX) | 3.49% | 2.58% | N/A | $19.7 | 1.30% |
| Fixed-income SRI funds average/total | 2.90% | 3.14% | 4.33% | $11,261.6 | 1.03% |
MIXED ASSET
| Fund | 1-year return | 3-year return | 5-year return | Portfolio net assets ($M) | Expense ratio* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calvert Balanced Portfolio A (CSIFX) | 11.06% | 10.86% | 10.71% | $688.8 | 1.18% |
| ESG Managers Growth Portfolio A (PAGAX) | 10.66% | 13.45% | 11.21% | $16.6 | 1.75% |
| Calvert Aggressive Allocation Fund A (CAAAX) | 9.98% | 13.59% | 11.79% | $102.0 | 1.26% |
| ESG Managers Growth and Income Portfolio Institutional (PMIIX) | 9.81% | 12.28% | 10.60% | $17.5 | 1.49% |
| Walden Asset Management Fund (WSBFX) | 9.62% | 10.22% | 10.07% | $81.2 | 1.00% |
| Green Century Balanced Fund (GCBLX) | 9.52% | 12.69% | 10.84% | $137.3 | 1.48% |
| 1919 Socially Responsive Balanced Fund B (SESIX) | 9.12% | 9.32% | 8.78% | $134.6 | 2.38% |
| New Covenant Balanced Growth Fund (NCBGX) | 8.98% | 9.59% | 9.50% | $297.7 | 1.20% |
| Calvert Moderate Allocation Fund A (CMAAX) | 8.97% | 10.89% | 9.99% | $219.8 | 1.38% |
| Pax World Balanced Fund Individual Investor (PAXWX) | 8.87% | 9.53% | 9.26% | $1,956.0 | 0.91% |
| Mixed-asset SRI funds average/total | 7.53% | 9.41% | 9.14% | $10,200.2 | 1.48% |
WORLD EQUITY
| Fund | 1-year return | 3-year return | 5-year return | Portfolio net assets ($M) | Expense ratio* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GuideStone Real Estate Securities Fund Investor (GREZX) | 18.98% | 10.97% | 15.78% | $281.6 | 1.06% |
| Steward Global Equity Income Fund Institutional (SGISX) | 11.81% | 10.69% | 11.66% | $156.8 | 0.71% |
| UBS Global Sustainable Equity Fund P (BNUEX) | 11.17% | 10.67% | 7.99% | $22.0 | 1.00% |
| Gabelli SRI Fund Inc I (SRIDX) | 9.98% | 11.61% | 10.15% | $73.5 | 1.49% |
| Pax Ellevate Global Women’s Index Fund Individual Investor (PXWEX) | 8.65% | 11.45% | 9.41% | $69.0 | 0.99% |
| Calvert Emerging Markets Equity Fund I (CVMIX) | 8.18% | N/A | N/A | $63.4 | 1.42% |
| Northern Global Sustainability Index Fund (NSRIX) | 7.79% | 13.26% | 11.02% | $205.8 | 0.30% |
| DFA Emerging Markets Social Core Equity Port Institutional (DFESX) | 5.76% | 0.12% | 3.54% | $967.6 | 0.66% |
| Frontier RobecoSAM Global Equity Fund Institutional (FSGLX) | 4.50% | 10.38% | 9.49% | $13.0 | 1.20% |
| Portfolio 21 Global Equity Fund Retail (PORTX) | 4.23% | 10.46% | 8.43% | $453.9 | 1.37% |
| World-equity SRI funds average/total | 0.13% | 8.59% | 5.25% | $14,854.0 | 1.46% |
Returns as of Feb. 18; assets as of Jan. 31. Distinct share classes only. Three-year and five-year returns annualized. N/A=not available (fund has been in operation for less than the period indicated. *Net prospectus.
Source: Lipper, a Thomson Reuters Company
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