Find top rated sustainable investment funds

Greenwashing and jargon make it hard to see the recyclable wood for the trees when it comes to picking sustainable investments. Our CEO Holly Mackay partnered with global research experts Morningstar and waded through thousands of funds to bring you a shortlist of top-rated investment options.

Whether you’re a full-on Eco Warrior, a Pragmatic Green, or a suspicious Pure Returns, we’ve picked something for everyone. Read on to see which funds made the cut – or take the quiz to get started and find out what sort of sustainable saver you are.

Meet all of our Sustainable Investing Tribes

We all have different priorities when it comes to sustainable investing. Some of us want to say "No!" to the Nasties like tobacco and gambling companies. Others want their money to play a role in preventing climate change. And some want to back sustainable investments for purely profit motivations.

Scroll down to see which funds tick the experts’ selection criteria, whether that’s performance, carbon targets, Morningstar ratings, or more. We’ll help you identify the cream of the sustainable crop!

The Eco Warrior

Most likely to say: “Of course, I’m not going on a plane!”.

Eco Warriors are the Greta Thunberg of the investment world. They care passionately about the environment and are on a mission to make the world a better place for future generations. They are the proud Environmental 'E' in ESG.

They live and breathe sustainability, eating and dressing responsibly, and offsetting their carbon footprint so that they don’t eat up the world’s resources. Mapping their money to sustainable goals is more important than financial returns – the planet is not a "nice to have"!

Sustainable funds which map to Eco Warrior priorities

Source: The broader universe of sustainable funds was filtered using Morningstar data. Click here to see the filters applied and to learn more. Shown in order of 5-year performance. Data correct as of October 2024.

The Social Champion

Most likely to say: “I’m boycotting Amazon and Uber!".

Social Champions care about the planet and all things sustainability, but their main focus is people.

They champion diversity and inclusion, fair pay and conditions, and believe governments should help the poorest in society through social housing and health care provision. What really lights their fire is how people are treated by society, employers and the Big Guys.

They want to back companies with good track records of taking care of people – society, communities, customers and staff – and this focus is not negotiable, no matter how shiny the potential returns.

Sustainable funds which map to Social Champion priorities

Source: The broader universe of sustainable funds was filtered using Morningstar data. Click here to see the filters applied and to learn more. Shown in order of 5-year performance. Data correct as of October 2024.

The Slow and Steady Saver

Most likely to say: ”All that glitters is not gold!”.

Slow and Steady Savers are sensible, seasoned, and thoughtful investors who put great store in good corporate governance. They are the Governance 'G' in ESG.

They have a decent pot of money to invest and know how to invest it wisely, not falling for fads or trends. They know that well-run companies are also more likely to make better returns and reduce risk. If they can get those returns, and also back businesses that help society and local communities, all the better.

Slow and Steadies value corporate transparency and strong governance, alongside a much broader raft of sustainable sectors which might be less emotive than some, but are all about progress and development, from healthcare to water distribution. Returns come first – but backing sensible firms truly developing solutions to the world’s most critical problems, is the sweet spot.

Sustainable funds which map to Slow and Steady Saver priorities

Source: The broader universe of sustainable funds was filtered using Morningstar data. Click here to see the filters applied and to learn more. Shown in order of 5-year performance. Data correct as of October 2024.

The No Nasties

Most likely to say: ”I know what I like. And I know what I DON’T like!”.

The No Nasties don’t want their money to go anywhere near the bad guys: companies involved in weapons, tobacco, adult entertainment, fossil fuel, cannabis or other so-called ‘sin stocks’.

They know their right from wrong and hold no truck with the arguments that many big oil companies are investing in renewable energies, so not the baddies they once were. Or that vaping is any better than the cigarettes of the past. To them, No Nasties are just that: they don’t want anything nasty in their investments. That’s how they sleep well at night.

Typically less confident when it comes to investing, they still want to make a decent profit – but they're not prepared to overlook the evils of the world in the pursuit of profit.

Sustainable funds which map to No Nasties priorities

Source: The broader universe of sustainable funds was filtered using Morningstar data. Click here to see the filters applied and to learn more. Shown in order of 5-year performance. Data correct as of October 2024.

The Pure Returns

Most likely to say: “Show me the money!”

Pure Returns have been around the investment block and are on the lookout for hot air and the latest fad. They are likely to have a strong interest in the world of technology and see this as an interesting common denominator of many appealing investment stories.

Despite an in-built scepticism, they are likely to be an early adopter of funds connected to electric cars, battery technology and renewable energy. They know this is the way the world is going and the money will follow. It makes financial sense.

Clever and sharp, they have their finger on the pulse and are keen to maximise their returns. The business person they're most likely to admire is Elon Musk, even if his company’s valuation means they sold their Tesla shares a while back.

Sustainable funds which map to Pure Returns priorities

Source: The broader universe of sustainable funds was filtered using Morningstar data. Click here to see the filters applied and to learn more. Shown in order of 5-year performance. Data correct as of October 2024.

The Pragmatic Green

Most likely to say: “Rome wasn’t built in a day".

The Pragmatic Greens are, well, truly pragmatic. As seasoned investors, their intention is to be as green and sustainable as they can be, while still investing wisely. So they won’t pooh-pooh the big oil companies who are now investing in renewable energy. They believe that for the world to change, big companies have to be part of that change – transition plans for tomorrow are fine.

They want the world to be a greener, better place, but backing the companies who can change the world is the way forward. Making money is the main driver behind all investment decisions – but they'll ask the tough questions on sustainability and be more tolerant of longer-term horizons than many.

Sustainable funds which map to Pragmatic Green priorities

Source: The broader universe of sustainable funds was filtered using Morningstar data. Click here to see the filters applied and to learn more. Shown in order of 5-year performance. Data correct as of October 2024.

The Aspirational Green

Most likely to say: “I’d like to test drive an electric vehicle, please".

Aspirational Greens look to avoid the nasties, whilst backing progressive and sustainable investments.

They don’t want to think of their money going into big bad companies who are connected to fossil fuels, war or animal testing. When it comes to their lifestyle, the environment worries them and they've tried to live more sustainably, ditching the plastic, using reusable coffee cups or buying vintage.

Now they want their investments to match these green principles. And they want this today. They're a bit suspicious of long-term transition goals and most likely to say they'll avoid carbon-bashing companies altogether, no matter how loudly the Board shouts about change. That said, they're investing for returns above all, so these questions are important, but not critical.

Sustainable funds which map to Aspirational Green priorities

Source: The broader universe of sustainable funds was filtered using Morningstar data. Click here to see the filters applied and to learn more. Shown in order of 5-year performance. Data correct as of October 2024.

Our criteria

We filtered the sustainable funds universe using Morningstar data as at 30 October 2024. We then selected the funds which are regulated and approved for sale in the UK, and also readily available to retail investors via the UK's leading investment platforms.

Morningstar is a global company that builds products and offers services that connect people to the information and tools they need to invest. Stock analyst Joe Mansueto thought it was unfair that people didn’t have access to the same information as financial professionals, so he built a company of over 8,000 employees that now covers over 620k investment products and delivers informed investment research covering 29 countries.

We think their ratings are helpful tools to use when assessing a potential investment and they have more data on sustainable elements than most. You can read more about Morningstar here. Click here for a breakdown of Morningstar's multiple rating systems and here for an explanation of how they work.

These shortlists are not recommendations and you’ll need to do your own research. They are collections of funds which map to specific filters and criteria, reflecting people's different priorities.

As always, please do your own research before deciding whether to buy or sell any investment. Fund factsheets are a good place to look for further information.