Kotak Mutual Fund launches Kotak ESG Opportunities Fund

Kotak Mahindra Asset Management Company has launched Kotak ESG Opportunities Fund. The fund will focus on Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) factors and the Principles for Responsible Investing (PRI), a press release from the fund house said.

The New Fund Offer (NFO) of the scheme will close for subscription on December 4.

According to the press release KMAMC is the first asset management company to sign the United Nation's Principles for Responsible Investment (UNPRI). Kotak ESG Opportunities Fund will be managed by Harsha Upadhyaya. The scheme will invest in companies based on financial parameters and non-financial factors such as Environmental, Social and Governance as a part of its research process to identify material risks and growth opportunities.


“Globally, investors are increasingly evaluating Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) performance and disclosures. ESG investment principles look even at ‘how companies make money’ and not just at ‘how much money the company makes’. Kotak ESG Opportunities 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,” Harsha Upadhyaya, CIO – Equity & President, Kotak Mahindra Asset Management Company Limited said.

To assess ESG performance of an investee company, Kotak ESG Opportunities Fund will look at policies, practices and disclosures of each ESG pillar. That is, 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, in addition to corporate governance practices and disclosures as required under the Companies Act, 2013 and SEBI’s (LODR) 2015, it will be whistle-blower and anti-corruption policy, no child labour policy, anti-sexual harassment policy, diversity and inclusivity policies and practices etc.