Five funds to invest in gender equality
2 MAR, 2026
Gender equality has ceased to be merely a reputational criterion to become a genuine financial analysis factor. More and more international managers are incorporating diversity metrics and inclusion policies into their company selection processes, convinced that diverse management teams, inclusive corporate cultures, and business models with positive social impact contribute to generating more solid and sustainable results over time.
In this context, and on the occasion of the celebration of International Women's Day next Sunday, March 8, we show you five funds to invest in gender equality: Nordea 1 - Global Diversity Engagement, Mirova Women Leaders Equity, DWS Invest ESG Social Focus, M&G (Lux) Diversity and Inclusion and AXA World Funds ACT Social Progress.
All these strategies offer the opportunity —from active engagement to thematic investment or impact aligned with the SDGs— to obtain global exposure to companies committed to social advancement. The question is no longer whether investing with a gender perspective is compatible with profitability, but which approach fits better according to the investor's profile.
Nordea 1 - Global Diversity Engagement
The Nordea 1 - Global Diversity Engagement from Nordea Asset Management has established itself as a differentiated thematic proposal within the universe of global equity. Its investment philosophy combines traditional financial criteria with a responsible approach focused on diversity and inclusion, understood as factors capable of enhancing the resilience and long-term growth of companies. The fund selects companies with solid indicators of gender, ethnic, age, and socioeconomic diversity. In addition, it actively engages with those companies that have not yet reached the desired thresholds to promote better internal practices.
This active approach not only seeks performance, but social impact, aligned with the best ESG practices and classified under article 8 according to the European SFDR regulation. The MSCI ACWI index is used only as a reference to compare returns.
With a blend style and a universe of about 90-100 values, the fund combines the thematic bias with quality and valuation criteria to capture potential alpha, maintaining a diversification that translates into lower relative risks compared to its global peers.
As for the portfolio, the fund maintains a diversified exposure by sectors and geographies within global equities. Among its main positions are technological giants and leading companies capable of generating sustainable growth —such as NVIDIA, Microsoft, Apple, Alphabet or Eli Lilly—, which represent a significant part of the managed assets.
Mirova Women Leaders Equity
The Mirova Women Leaders Equity, managed by Mirova within Natixis Investment Managers, represents one of the most visible market bets for sustainable investment with social impact, focused on promoting gender diversity and female empowerment at the corporate level. The strategy is based on the idea that companies with a greater presence and promotion of women in management positions tend to generate better long-term results, integrating financial and ESG criteria. All this with a fundamental approach and an investment horizon of more than five years.
Classified under Article 9 of the SFDR, the fund seeks to align at least 90% of its investments with sustainable economic models and contributes to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the UN, reinforced by a collaboration with UN Women France to support women's empowerment initiatives.
Unlike merely thematic funds, management is actively diversified geographically and by sectors within global equities. Its benchmark index is the MSCI World Net Dividends Reinvested.
As for the positions in the portfolio, the most recent data shows a combination of global leaders where technology stands out, and defensive and industrial sectors: NVIDIA, Microsoft, Eli Lilly, Schneider Electric and Visa among the five values with the highest weight in the portfolio. Its portfolio reflects a blend mix with a bias towards quality and growth.
DWS Invest ESG Social Focus
The DWS Invest ESG Social Focus (formerly known as DWS Invest ESG Women for Women) was born in January 2022, by the hand of DWS, as a proposal for sustainable global equity aimed at highlighting companies with solid social criteria within ESG (especially gender equality, working conditions, and diversity). The strategy is managed exclusively by women and specifically focuses on their needs when selecting their investments. DWS's Social Commitment Score is applied to evaluate factors such as equal opportunities, gender balance at management levels, and work-life balance, along with a classic fundamental analysis on business and valuation.
Over time, the manager adjusted the strategy and the name of the vehicle to DWS Invest ESG Social Focus, broadening its focus to cover a wider range of social issues, although the selection of securities remains aligned with companies that show relevant advances in these matters. This rethink responds, according to the manager, to the need to attract a broader investor base after a commercial performance below expectations.
The investment policy remains active and global, without reference to a specific index, with the intention of achieving above-average capital appreciation by selecting companies that demonstrate social commitment and growth prospects.
Among the main positions that stand out in the current portfolio —and that have remained after the strategic reorientation— are large values from the global universe such as Nvidia, Microsoft, and TSMC, reflecting a bias towards the technological sector with growth profiles and acceptable levels of corporate social responsibility.
M&G (Lux) Diversity and Inclusion
The M&G (Lux) Diversity and Inclusion, managed by M&G Investments, is a global equity proposal with a clear sustainable focus that combines traditional investment criteria with an explicit commitment to diversity and social inclusion. The strategy seeks a total return superior to that of the global stock market over five years by primarily investing in companies that demonstrate gender and/or ethnic diversity, or that offer solutions that enhance social equality through their business model or corporate practices.
The investment policy requires that at least 80% of the net asset is exposed to equity values of companies considered "Diversity and Inclusion Companies" from any sector and size, including developed and emerging markets. The result is a concentrated portfolio of less than 40 companies and its benchmark index is the MSCI ACWI Net Return Index.
As for the composition of the portfolio, the most recent data show a balanced sectorial diversification with relevant weight in financial services, industrials, technology, and health, along with presence in cyclical consumption and communications. Among the main names are Microsoft, Visa, S&P Global, GSK, and Schneider Electric, reflecting a bias towards large companies with sustained growth capacity and potential positive social impact.
AXA World Funds ACT Social Progress
The AXA World Funds ACT Social Progress is an actively managed global equity fund by BNP Paribas Asset Management (after acquiring AXA Investment Managers). It has a philosophy focused on generating measurable positive social impact along with long-term capital growth. Its goal is to invest in companies whose operational practices and business models contribute to social progress, in line with the SDGs, focusing on themes such as financial and social inclusion, access to education and health, or community well-being.
Management is characterized by a broad active discretion: the team can overweight or underweight countries, sectors or values compared to the MSCI AC World Total Return Net. It can even invest outside the benchmark universe when it identifies opportunities consistent with its thesis.
The fund primarily invests in shares of developed markets, diversifying by sector and region, with a flexible approach (flex-cap), which allows adjusting the exposure according to the manager's convictions.
Regarding the construction of the portfolio, although its policy does not require replicating an index, recent holdings data show a combination of large global values, with technology, health, and financial services sectors well represented. Among the top five positions are Nvidia, Microsoft, BBVA, AIA Group and Eli Lilly, reflecting a bias towards companies with sustainable growth capacity and potential social contribution through their products or services.
