Best ESG Funds
Screened for environmental, social and governance quality.
Data updated · 10 direct-growth funds ranked by a transparent 0–100 Smart Score
| ⚖ VS | Fund | Score ↓ | Verdict | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | Sharpe | Sortino | Std Dev | Alpha | Beta | VR★ | P/E | Expense | AUM | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quant ESG InteGration Strategy Quant | 72 | Buy | 17.7% | 16.6% | 17.0% | 0.58 | 0.84 | 20.8 | 6.4 | 1.10 | 5★ | 33.2 | 1.84% | ₹329 Cr | 5.9y | |
| ICICI Pru ESG Exclusionary Strategy ICICI Pru | 71 | Buy | -9.8% | 10.3% | 8.7% | 0.41 | 0.41 | 15.1 | 1.3 | 0.93 | 4★ | 22.4 | 1.26% | ₹1.3k Cr | 6.0y | |
| Baroda BNP Paribas BestInClass Strategy Baroda BNP Paribas | 60 | Hold | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 23.8 | 1.18% | ₹564 Cr | 0.7y | |
| ABSL ESG InteGration Strategy Aditya Birla Sun Life | 56 | Hold | -3.4% | 10.3% | 5.6% | 0.36 | 0.40 | 15.5 | 0.5 | 0.97 | 3★ | 32.7 | 1.44% | ₹542 Cr | 5.8y | |
| Kotak ESG Exclusionary Strategy Kotak | 54 | Hold | -6.7% | 8.1% | 6.5% | 0.23 | 0.16 | 14.4 | -1.5 | 0.91 | 4★ | 21.1 | 1.16% | ₹685 Cr | 5.9y | |
| SBI ESG Exclusionary Strategy SBI | 45 | Hold | -5.7% | 8.0% | 6.5% | 0.22 | 0.15 | 15.1 | -1.5 | 0.95 | 4★ | 26.5 | 1.49% | ₹5.0k Cr | 13.8y | |
| Invesco India ESG Equity Invesco | 44 | Avoid | -5.0% | 8.6% | 5.6% | 0.25 | — | 16.1 | -1.1 | 0.97 | 2★ | 20.4 | 1.29% | ₹360 Cr | 5.6y | |
| WhiteOak Capital ESG Best In Class Strategy WhiteOak | 38 | Avoid | -7.8% | — | — | -0.48 | -0.65 | 13.3 | -1.3 | 0.89 | — | 27.6 | 0.98% | ₹46 Cr | 2.0y | |
| Axis ESG InteGration Strategy Axis | 34 | Avoid | -7.3% | 7.8% | 4.1% | 0.24 | 0.14 | 14.1 | -1.2 | 0.88 | 3★ | 32.7 | 1.84% | ₹998 Cr | 6.7y | |
| Quantum ESG Best In Class Strategy Quantum | 28 | Avoid | -6.9% | 7.1% | 5.7% | 0.17 | 0.06 | 16.0 | -2.6 | 1.01 | 3★ | 30.8 | 0.82% | ₹88 Cr | 7.3y |
ESG funds — quick answers
›Which is the best ESG mutual fund right now?
Quant ESG InteGration Strategy currently ranks #1 of 10 ESG funds with a FundLens Smart Score of 72/100 (Buy). It returned 16.6% over 3 years and 17.0% over 5 years at a 1.84% expense ratio (direct plan). Rankings are recomputed from data updated 18 Oct 2026.
›Which ESG fund has the best risk-adjusted returns?
Quant ESG InteGration Strategy leads the category on the Sortino ratio at 0.84 (Sharpe 0.58) — meaning it has delivered the most return per unit of downside risk among ESG funds.
›Which ESG fund has the lowest expense ratio?
Quantum ESG Best In Class Strategy charges 0.82% a year (direct plan) — the lowest in the category. Lower fees compound in your favour over long holding periods.
›Which is the smallest ESG fund by AUM?
WhiteOak Capital ESG Best In Class Strategy manages ₹46 Cr, the smallest in the category. Smaller funds can be nimbler, but check track record and costs before treating size alone as an edge.
›How long should I stay invested in a ESG fund?
ESG funds carry high risk, so a horizon of 5+ years is generally sensible. Screened for environmental, social and governance quality. This is research, not investment advice.
Want these answers conversationally? Ask FundLens · New to the ratios? Sharpe vs Sortino, explained