Humankind launches sustainable ETF

Humankind Investments has launched the US Stock ETF.

The fund seeks to provide broad exposure to US equities with a focus on companies that contribute the greatest value to society, as measured by Humankind’s proprietary index.

The launch is the first from Humankind Investments, a firm started by former Vanguard analyst James Katz in 2019. The Humankind US Stock ETF tracks the top 1000 US companies that make a positive contributions to society as measured by its impact on investors, consumers, employees and citizens.

The firm’s Index scoring methodology draws on a combination of third-party data providers, as well as academic research, government data and NGO data to evaluate a universe of domestic US companies. Those that gain inclusion within the Index are weighted based on their Humankind Value, subject to liquidity and diversification constraints.

“We developed our Humankind Value score with the belief that traditional investment analysis, with its typically narrow focus on standalone financial performance, fails to fully capture a company’s ability to remain sustainable and competitive in the long run,” added Katz. “By concentrating our investments in the companies that maximize value across a wider range of key stakeholders and thematic issues, we aim to promote the best possible outcomes for people as both investors and as human beings.”