Introducing ESG & Animal Cruelty Rating on ArihantPlus

You're at the supermarket. You pick up a pack of biscuits, flip it over, and scan the ingredients. Palm oil? Hmm. Gelatine? Back on the shelf it goes. You've done this so many times it's muscle memory now.

You carry your own bags. You skip the leather. You ask the waiter if the soup has ghee in it.

And then you open your trading app and buy shares in a company... without ever asking what that company actually does to make its money. Is it involved in businesses that harm animals? Does it have sustainability policies or is causing climate change?

Sound familiar? You're not alone. 
And honestly, it's not your fault. 

Do your investments reflect your values? 

Here's the thing about buying a stock - you're not just placing a bet on a price. You become a part-owner of that business - its factories, its supply chains, its choices.

But while a biscuit packet lists its ingredients on the back, a company's "ingredients" are buried inside 300-page annual reports, sustainability disclosures, information about its businesses and regulatory filings that, let's be honest, almost nobody reads.

So, millions of investors who are deeply conscious in their daily lives end up with portfolios that quietly contradict their values. A vegan holding shares in a business built on animal products. A climate-conscious investor unknowingly funding heavy polluters.

Not because they don't care. Because the information was never easy to find. Until now. 

We've launched Ethics Card on the ArihantPlus app, so you can learn about the company's engagement in animal cruelty and its stance on climate change before you invest.

For now, we're covering 890 companies for their engagement in animal cruelty and tracking 975 companies for their ESG ratings. But we will keep growing this list.

We built the ESG Card to answer one simple question: what am I actually supporting when I buy this stock?

It sits right on the stock page in the ArihantPlus app - next to the price, fundamentals, and market depth you already check, and gives you two independent ratings at a glance.

1. The ESG Rating

On this card you will find how a company scores on Environmental, Social, and Governance practices. It covers everything from its carbon footprint to how it treats employees to how well it's governed. Companies fall into five colour-coded categories:

One glance and you’d know if this company matches your beliefs. No need to scram through 300-page reports.

2. The Animal Cruelty Classification

This is for everyone who lives by vegan, vegetarian, or Jain principles — or simply cares about animal welfare. It tells you whether a company's business touches animal-based industries:

Because a company can be one thing and not the other.

A business might have a Strong ESG rating - great on emissions, great on governance, but still have indirect links to animal-based industries. Another might be fully Vegan but score Below Average on ESG.

So, on a stock page, you might see something like:

🟢 Strong ESG · 🟠 May be indirectly supporting non-vegan business 

Let's be clear about what the ESG Card is not. It’s not a stock recommendation. It won't tell you what to buy or what to avoid. A company with a Weak ESG rating can still be a profitable investment. A Vegan-classified company can still be a poorly run business.

The ESG Card does one job - it puts information that was previously buried in dense reports right where you make your decisions. Whether your values shape your portfolio, and how much, is entirely up to you.

Think of it as the ingredients label for your investments. Finally. 

You've already done the hard part - building a life around what you believe in. Every label read, every conscious swap, every small choice that adds up.

Your investments shouldn't be the exception.

Download the ArihantPlus app, open any stock, and check its ESG Card. It takes five seconds to see whether a company aligns with your values. 

If you don't have an ArihantPlus account, don't worry. It takes literally 4 minutes to sign-up, set-up and get started. Click here to open an account and invest right!

Invest smart. Invest you. 

What is the ESG Card on ArihantPlus? 

The ESG Card is a unique feature on the ArihantPlus trading app that shows two ratings for a stock right on its quote page: an ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) rating and an animal cruelty classification. It helps you see whether a company aligns with your values before you invest.

How do I check a company's ESG rating in India? 

ArihantPlus is the first trading platform in India that tells you about a company's ESG rating and its involvement in animal-cruelty so you can invest according to your values. To check it, download and open the ArihantPlus app, search for any stock, and scroll to the ESG Card on the quote page, it appears alongside fundamentals and market depth.

How many stocks are covered for ESG and animal-cruelty ratings?

At present, there are 890 stocks that are rated for their involvement in animal-cruelty and 975 stocks for their ESG rating. However, this list will keep expanding.

Are there any charges to access this feature?

No, it is completely free for ArihantPlus users.

Is the animal-cruelty/vegan classification 100% guaranteed? 

No rating system can be perfect. The Vegan tag means no known involvement with animal exploitation based on available information about the company's products, operations, and supply chains. Classifications like "May Be Involved" exist precisely because indirect links through suppliers or subsidiaries can be hard to trace.

Do ESG stocks give better returns? 

While companies that have higher ESG ratings should make good businesses as they are ready for the future, there's no guarantee either way. ESG ratings measure sustainability and governance practices, not future stock performance. Some studies link strong ESG practices to lower long-term risk, but returns depend on many factors. So you need to always assess the business fundamentals too. ⚠️

Can Jains invest in the stock market ethically? 

Yes, and the ESG Card makes it easier. The animal cruelty classification helps investors following Jain principles identify companies with no known involvement in animal-based industries, so their portfolio can reflect the same values as their beliefs and lifestyle.

Why don't I see ESG card on a stock?

In case we do not have the stock covered for their animal-cruelty classification or ESG rating yet, the card will not show. You can always drop a message via the WhatsApp support on the app, or go to the feedback card (on dashboard and My Account at the bottom), and leave us a comment for which stock you'd like to know about. Our team will try its best to do the research and update it for you. This list is always expanding, so keep checking!