Vanguard FTSE Social Index Fund

Shareclass

Vanguard FTSE Social Index Admiral (VFTAX)

Type

Open-end mutual fund

Manager

WARNING: Carbon footprint data is no longer being updated.

As of 2023, we are no longer updating fund carbon footprint data. This is due to a lack of access to regularly-updated company-level carbon footprint data. We are looking into whether we can find a new source for this data. Until then, all fund carbon footprint data should be considered out of date.

Carbon footprint
emissions per unit of investment

LOW compared to benchmarks

Expresses the greenhouse gas footprint of an investment sum. Relative carbon footprint is measured in metric tonnes of CO₂ or CO₂ equivalents per $1 million USD invested. A fund's carbon footprint accounts for direct and indirect (scope 1 and 2) emissions.

How do we compare funds to benchmarks?

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Carbon intensity
emissions per unit of revenue

LOW compared to benchmarks

Expresses the carbon efficiency of a portfolio. Relative carbon intensity is measured in metric tonnes of CO₂ or CO₂ equivalents per $1 million USD revenue. A fund's carbon intensity accounts for direct and indirect (scope 1 and 2) emissions.

How do we compare funds to benchmarks?

Show all benchmarks

Carbon footprint profile is provided by yourSRI. Metrics like carbon footprint and carbon intensity are calculated by tracking and measuring the greenhouse gas emissions of the underlying companies owned by the fund.

Find more carbon footprint information about this fund at yourSRI.

Vanguard FTSE Social Index Fund

Benchmark: MSCI ACWI^*

Emissions scope 1+2
tCO2e

415,047

1.88M

Emissions scope 1+2+3
tCO2e

1.36M

6.97M

Coverage
by # of disclosing titles

57%

Coverage
by market value weight

97%

95%

* Full emissions and coverage data for MSCI ACWI index provided by yourSRI

Emissions of the top 10 fund holdings

Top 10 holdings, portfolio weight and emissions weight (Scope 1 + 2)

What does this mean?

Sustainability report card

As You Sow’s Invest Your Values report card grades mutual funds on environmental and social issues, including climate change, gender equality, and weapon investments. Click through to get more details on each issue.

Vanguard FTSE Social Index Fund VFTAX

Environment

Fossil fuels

Investments in coal, oil, and natural gas energy and utility companies, and related financial companies

Deforestation

Investments in deforestation-risk agricultural commodities, and related financial companies and consumer brands

Social

Gender equality

Gender equality group ranking, based on Equileap company data

Civilian firearms

Investments in civilian firearms manufacturers, and related gun retailers

Prison industrial complex

Investments in prisons and borders industry, including private prison operators

Military weapons

Investments in military arms manufacturers and services companies, including nuclear weapon manufacturers and servicers

Tobacco

Investments in tobacco and e-cigarette manufacturers, and tobacco-promoting entertainment companies

Search more funds

Financial performance

Performance data provided by

Find more financial data on VFTAX at Morningstar.com

Current fund

VFTAX

Vanguard FTSE Social Index Fund

Family

Vanguard

Category

Large Blend

Find another fund

vs.

Benchmark

IVV

iShares Core S&P 500 ETF

Family

iShares from BlackRock

Category

Large Blend

Change benchmark

Fund comparison settings

Investment timeline

Performance as of: 11/30/24

1 year

3 years

5 years

10 years

Benchmark

Suggested: S&P 500

Fund comparison results

Compared to the benchmark, this fund has:

Higher

10-yr returns

0.38% more in annualized returns

Less invested in fossil fuels

7.69% less invested

Lower fossil finance risk score

2 points lower

Lower fossil insurance risk score

16 points lower

More invested in Clean200

1.89% more invested

Current fund

VFTAX

Vanguard FTSE Social Index Fund

Family

Vanguard

Category

Large Blend

Find another fund

vs.

Benchmark

IVV

iShares Core S&P 500 ETF

Family

iShares from BlackRock

Category

Large Blend

Change benchmark

Fund comparison settings

Investment timeline

Performance as of: 11/30/24

1 year

3 years

5 years

10 years

Benchmark

Suggested: S&P 500

Fund comparison results

Compared to the benchmark, this fund has:

Higher

10-yr returns

0.38% more in annualized returns

Less invested in fossil fuels

7.69% less invested

Lower fossil finance risk score

2 points lower

Lower fossil insurance risk score

16 points lower

More invested in Clean200

1.89% more invested

Current fund

VFTAX

Vanguard FTSE Social Index Fund

Family

Vanguard

Category

Large Blend

Find another fund

vs.

Benchmark

IVV

iShares Core S&P 500 ETF

Family

iShares from BlackRock

Category

Large Blend

Change benchmark

Fund comparison settings

Investment timeline

Performance as of: 11/30/24

1 year

3 years

5 years

10 years

Benchmark

Suggested: S&P 500

Fund comparison results

Compared to the benchmark, this fund has:

Higher

10-yr returns

0.38% more in annualized returns

Less invested in fossil fuels

7.69% less invested

Lower fossil finance risk score

2 points lower

Lower fossil insurance risk score

16 points lower

More invested in Clean200

1.89% more invested

Month-end trailing returns

Performance as of date: 11/30/24

Morningstar suggested benchmark: S&P 500 TR USD

Annualized returns

Climate analysis

1-yr

3-yr

5-yr

10-yr

This fund
VFTAX - Vanguard FTSE Social Index Fund

34%

9.89%

16%

14%

0.71%

Benchmark

34%

11%

16%

13%

8.4%

Fund compared to benchmark

0.44%

-1.52%

-0.08%

0.38%

7.69% lower

Find more financial data on VFTAX at Morningstar.com

What's next?

Learn how to make a change and move your money

Get started with our action toolkit

Action toolkit

Recent blog posts

How Google found a fossil free fund for their 401(k)

Nov 12, 2024

Many U.S. employees saving for retirement are invested in companies fueling the climate crisis, exposing their savings to climate-related financial risk. Employees are increasingly calling for climate-safe fund options to avoid these risks.

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Jul 25, 2024

If your 401(k), IRA, or mutual funds are invested in banks that finance fossil fuels, it could impact your financial returns. We've updated our Fossil Fuel Finance ratings to use the most recent data on bank financial commitments to fossil fuels.

Is Your 401(k) Invested in Bomb Makers?

Jun 18, 2024

When you think about your 401(k), you probably imagine your money working hard towards your secure and comfortable retirement. But 401(k)s have big holdings in companies that make bombs and missiles - including nuclear weapons, cluster bombs, and other arms prohibited by international treaties.

Tech employees’ $5 billion fossil fuel 401(k) price tag

Apr 30, 2024

Researchers at the University of Waterloo, in partnership with As You Sow, have released a new report finding that 2 million employees from 12 tech-sector companies could have earned an estimated $5.1 billion in additional returns had their companies moved to decarbonize their retirement plan holdings 10 years ago.

Our retirement savings own one fifth of U.S. fossil fuel stocks

Feb 1, 2024

Just how much does the fossil fuel industry depend on our 401(k) savings? It turns out: quite a lot. We estimated the total amount invested in U.S. fossil fuel companies by the retirement savings accounts of American workers. We then compared that to the total market cap of those companies and estimate that 19% comes from our 401(k)s and IRAs.

Disclaimer: As You Sow is not an investment adviser

As You Sow is not an investment adviser as that term is defined under federal and state (California) laws and regulations. As You Sow is a tax-exempt, nonprofit organization dedicated to educating and empowering shareholders to change corporations for the good through the collection, analysis and dissemination of relevant information to the public, free of charge. As You Sow does not provide financial planning, legal or tax advice. Nothing on this website shall constitute or be construed as an offering of financial instruments, or as investment advice or investment recommendations.
See our full disclaimer

WARNING: Carbon footprint data is no longer being updated.

Carbon footprintof all the companies in the portfolio.

Environment

Social

Disclaimer: As You Sow is not an investment adviser