The most comprehensive independent academic research confirms that companies excelling on ESG criteria frequently produce above average long-term stock profits. One of many such studies, see "ESG and Financial Performance: Aggregated Evidence from More than 2000 Empirical Studies, Journal of Sustainable Finance & Investment, Volume 5, Issue 4, p. 210-233, 2015."

I've been engaged in ethical investing for over forty years and quite familiar with arguments cited in these comments. However, it'll be good to raise the discussion to actual research and individual investment experiences.