Preamble
At all times, our clients'
interests must come first. We must maintain the integrity of our business by
promoting ethical conduct, creating a culture of compliance and avoiding even
the appearance of impropriety. We must not take inappropriate advantage of our
positions and access to information. We are all expected to protect and
preserve the confidentiality of information entrusted to us by our clients.
All persons must comply with
all applicable securities laws, rules and regulations, as well as the rules of
applicable self-regulatory organizations such as the Financial Industry
Regulatory Authority.
The board of directors of
Saturna Capital Corporation, acting for itself and its subsidiaries, and the
board of trustees of both Saturna Investment Trust and Amana Mutual Funds Trust
independently adopted this Code of Ethics to assist in maintaining the highest
standards of conduct. Saturna Capital and its affiliates encourage private
investment activities, but such activities must be carried out within the
letter and spirit of this Code. Each of these boards must approve any material
change to this Code of Ethics. Questions should be brought to the attention of
the Chief Compliance Officer.
By accepting employment with
the Adviser and/or its subsidiaries, or association with a Fund, you have
agreed to be bound by this Code. This Code is a part of the Saturna Manual,
which governs the operations of Saturna Capital and its affiliates. Each
crewmember annually certifies in writing his understanding of and intention to
comply with this Code.
This Code does not attempt to
identify all possible conflicts of interest, and literal compliance with each
of its specific provisions will not shield you from liability for front running
client orders with personal trading or other unethical conduct or conduct that
violates a fiduciary duty.
Section 1 - Definitions
"Adviser"
means Saturna Capital Corporation, including any of its subsidiaries. Adviser
does not include any consultant or sub-advisor whose only role is to advise on
general principles
"Access Person"
means a trustee, director, officer, or crewmember of a Fund or the
Adviser. It does not include an Independent Trustee or Independent Director
unless in connection with his or her regular functions or duties the Trustee or
Director makes, participates in, or obtains information regarding, the purchase
or sale of Reportable Securities by a Fund, or whose functions relate to the
making of any recommendation with respect to such purchases or sale
"Beneficial Ownership"
has the same meaning as used in Rule 16a-1(a)(2) under the U.S.
Securities Exchange Act of 1934. "Direct or indirect beneficial
ownership" means direct or indirect influence or control or ownership of
any beneficial interest.
The terms of Rule 16a are
incorporated herein by reference and shall control any determination hereunder.
In general, and without limiting the foregoing, a person
has Beneficial Ownership in
any securities held (i) by members of a person's immediate family sharing the
same household; provided, however, that the presumption of such Beneficial
Ownership may be rebutted; or (ii) by related partnerships, trusts,
corporations or other arrangements
"Business Entertainment"
means ordinary and usual business entertainment such as an occasional
meal, ticket to a sporting event or theater, or comparable entertainment, so
long as it is neither so frequent nor so extensive as to raise any question of
propriety and the person providing the Business Entertainment must accompany
the recipient to any such function
"Chief Compliance Officer"
means the person designated by the Adviser and the Fund to act in that
capacity under Rule 38a1 of the U.S. Investment Company Act of
1940 or similar authority.
Any action, duty, or responsibility delegated to the Chief Compliance Officer
under this Code of Ethics may, in his absence, (and shall, with respect to
actions involving the personal transactions of the Chief Compliance Officer) be
performed by another Compliance Officer or the President. Any action, duty or
responsibility of Saturna Capital's Chief Compliance Officer under this Code is
the responsibility of the Compliance Officer of a subsidiary where such Officer
is employed
"Fund"
means
any registered investment company adopting this Code of Ethics
"Gift"
includes anything of value, but does not include ordinary and usual
"Business Entertainment"
"Independent Trustee or Director"
means an independent Trustee of a Fund or an independent Director of
the Adviser. An independent Trustee is a trustee who is not an “interested
person” of a Fund within the meaning of Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940
Act. An independent Director
is a director
–
who is not
an “interested person” of the Adviser within the meaning of Section 2(a)(19)(B)
of the 1940 Act for any reason other than as a director of the Adviser and as
an owner of direct or beneficial interests in Saturna Capital (but owner of no
more than 5% of Saturna Capital’s outstanding voting securities), and (ii) who
has no involvement with the day-to-day operations of the Funds or the Adviser
“Initial Public Offering”
means an offering of securities registered under the Securities Act of
1933, the issuer of which, immediately before the registration, was not subject
to the reporting requirements of Sections 13 or 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934
“
Limited Offering”
means an offering that is exempt from registration under the
Securities Act of 1933 pursuant to Section 4(2) or Section 4(6) or pursuant to
Rule
504, 505, or 506 under the
Securities Act of 1933
"President"
means the president of Saturna Capital, the president of a subsidiary of
Saturna Capital relating to crewmembers of that subsidiary, or the president of
a Fund
“Portfolio Manager"
means the person (or one of the persons) responsible for the
day-to-day management of a Fund, other pooled vehicles, or the portfolio of an
individually managed account
"Reporting Account"
means the account(s) maintained by Access Persons for reporting transactions
covered by this Code on Saturna's own portfolio system (NEPTUNE), or on any
other portfolio system having the monitoring functionality required by the
Chief Compliance Officer
"Reportable Security"
means any note, stock, treasury stock, security future, bond,
debenture, evidence of indebtedness, mutual funds advised by Saturna Capital,
hedge funds, unit trusts, and exchange-traded funds, interests in limited
partnerships, shares of limited offerings, certificate of interest or
participation in any profit-sharing agreement, collateral-trust certificate,
pre-organization certificate or subscription, transferable share, investment
contract, voting-trust certificate, certificate of deposit for a security,
fractional undivided interest in oil, gas, or other mineral rights, any put,
call, straddle, option or privilege on any security (including a certificate of
deposit) or on any group or index of securities (including any interest therein
or based on the value thereof) or any put, call, straddle, option, or privilege
entered into on a national securities exchange relating to foreign currency, or
in general, any interest commonly known as a “security”, or any certificate of
interest or participation in, temporary or interim certificate for, receipt for,
guarantee of, or warrant or right to subscribe to or purchase, any of the
foregoing. Reportable Security does not include direct obligations of the
Government of the United States (for any foreign subsidiary this would be
direct obligations of their government) including short-term debt securities
that are government securities within the meaning of law, bankers' acceptances,
bank certificates of deposit, commercial paper, repurchase agreements, other
high-quality short-term debt instruments, shares of registered open-end
investment companies where Saturna Capital does not act as adviser, shares
issued by unit investment trusts that are invested exclusively in one or more
open-end funds, 529 plans, variable contracts, and shares issued by
money-market funds.
Section 2 - Prohibited
Transactions
Personal Profit from Knowledge of Client
Transactions.
No person covered by this code may
use actual knowledge of client transactions to profit from such transactions.
Conflicting Trades
.
No Access Person shall purchase or sell any
Reportable Security (other than registered open-end investment companies) or
derivative thereon in which he has, or because of such order will acquire, any
direct or indirect Beneficial Ownership, when to their knowledge, any Fund or
other client of the Adviser had a transaction in the Reportable Security within
the last three trading days, has a pending order or intends to enter an order
within the next three trading days. However, an Access Person may participate
as part of a "bunch" order with simultaneous client transactions. The
Adviser must determine that the “bunching” is consistent with best execution
and no client is disadvantaged.
Portfolio Manager and Trade Desk Personnel
Restrictions.
Portfolio Managers and Trade Desk
Personnel handling Fund and or advisory client orders and any account in which
they have a Beneficial Ownership are limited to transactions in registered
open-end investment companies, exchange-traded funds, securities excluded from
the definition of Reportable Security, and transactions in Saturna Capital
stock. Transactions in Reportable Securities acquired prior to appointment as a
Portfolio Manager or to the Trade Desk are exempted from this restriction to
the extent that the transactions reduce an existing position. Likewise,
transactions in Reportable Securities acquired through inheritance or gift
after appointment are exempted from this restriction to the extent that the
transactions reduce an existing position.
Initial Public Offering.
No Access Person may directly or indirectly acquire beneficial
ownership in any security in an initial public offering.
Limited Offering (commonly referred to as a
Private Placement).
No Access Person may directly
or indirectly acquire beneficial ownership in any security in a limited
offering.
Principal Transactions.
No Access Person nor the Adviser may effect a transaction as principal
with a client.
All directors, trustees, officers or crewmembers of
a Fund, or the Adviser are prohibited from trading in any security, either
personally or on behalf of others, including clients, on the basis of material
non-public information or communicating material non-public information to
others in violation of the law.
Persons who are aware of the misuse of material
nonpublic information should report such misuse to the Chief Compliance
Officer.
Investment recommendation disclosures.
No Access Person may recommend or attempt to cause any securities
transactions by a client or participate in any investment decision without
disclosing his interest in the securities.
Unlawful Actions.
No Access Person in connection with the
purchase or sale, directly or indirectly, of a security held or to be acquired
by a Fund as defined in Rule 17j-1 may:
Employ any device, scheme or artifice to defraud
any client;
Make any untrue statement of a material fact to, or
omit to state a material fact to, any client;
Engage in any act, practice or course of business
that operates or would operate as a fraud or deceit on any client; or
Engage in any manipulative practice with regard to
any client.
Section 3 - Reporting and
Approvals
Independent Trustees and Independent
Directors.
An Independent Trustee or Independent
Director need not make a transaction report pursuant to this section unless he,
at the time he executes a transaction in a Reportable Security, knew or in the
ordinary course of fulfilling his official duties, should have known that
during the fifteen (15) calendar day period immediately before his transaction,
a Fund purchased or sold the security, or the Fund or its Adviser considered
purchasing or selling the security. In the event that this provision is
triggered, the Trustee or Director may rely on paragraph (6)(c) of this Section
to meet their quarterly reporting obligation.
Reporting Accounts.
No Access Persons may have a Beneficial Ownership in any securities
account held away from Saturna Brokerage Services or Saturna Capital. Officers,
directors, and crewmembers of a foreign subsidiary of the Advisor are permitted
to maintain securities accounts at a custodian acceptable to the subsidiaries’
Chief Compliance Officer, provided that they comply with the following
provisions of this section. Reporting Accounts registrations in NEPTUNE are to
be marked as "crewmember" to facilitate monitoring.
No later than 10 days after becoming an Access
Person, each Access Person shall meet with the Chief Compliance Officer to
discuss the requirements of this Code. The Access Person shall deliver a
current record (as of a date no more than 45 days prior to the date they became
an Access Person) of all Securities (including name and quantity) in which the
Access Person has a direct or indirect Beneficial Ownership, including the name
of any broker, dealer or bank with whom the Access Person maintained an
account. The Access Person shall provide evidence that the Access Person has
made provision to open an account with Saturna Brokerage Services or another
approved brokerage firm, and as soon as practicable, arrange to transfer all
Securities holdings to that account and close
any previous outside accounts.
At the end of the first month of employment, the
Access Person shall demonstrate that he has completed the process of closing
all outside accounts and moving all holdings to the approved brokerage firm.
The Chief Compliance Officer will provide appropriate guidance and assistance
to the Access Person if needed to complete the process.
An Access Person's willful non-compliance with
completion of this process shall be considered a violation of this Code of
Ethics.
The President may
permit, in unusual circumstances and for good cause, an Access
Person to maintain a Reporting
Account away from Saturna Brokerage Services or Saturna Capital. If an Access
Person is permitted to maintain such an account, the Access Person:
must have no advance knowledge or control of any
transaction in such account, and
shall be responsible for maintaining on a mirroring
Reporting Account an accurate history of all security transactions that are
required to be reported under this Code, and
shall instruct the manager or custodian with which
such account is maintained to send periodic statements and copies of security
transaction confirmations (if available) directly to the Chief Compliance
Officer.
Access Persons
may keep
records of securities in which they have indirect Beneficial Ownership in
separate Reporting Account(s) from those in which they have direct Beneficial
Ownership, or may combine those holdings in a single Reporting Account.
Not considered admission.
Any Reporting Account submission may contain a statement that the
report shall not be construed as an admission by the person making such report
that he has any direct or indirect Beneficial Ownership in the security to
which the report relates.
If not done through a Reporting Account, Access
Persons shall report transactions in any security in which such person has, or
because of such transaction acquires, any direct or indirect Beneficial
Ownership.
Every report shall be made not later than ten (10)
days after the end of the execution of the transaction, and shall contain the
following information:
The date of the transaction, the title and the
number of shares, and the principal amount of each security involved;
The nature of the transaction (i.e., purchase, sale
or any other type of acquisition or disposition);
The price at which the transaction was effected;
The name of the broker, dealer, fund distributor,
or bank with or through whom the transaction was effected; and
The date that the report was submitted.
If expressly permitted by the Chief Compliance
Officer, and if received by the Adviser no later than 30 days after the end of
the applicable calendar quarter, periodic statements or copies of security
transaction confirmations containing the information required by paragraph
17j-1(d)(1)(ii) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 will meet this
requirement.
Section 4 - Exemptions from
Prohibited Transaction and Reporting Requirements
“Fund Direct” Accounts.
Accounts limited solely to transactions in registered openend
investment companies where the Adviser does not act as adviser, unit investment
trusts, 529 plans, and variable contracts.
Exceptions and Exemptions
.
The Chief Compliance Officer may grant an
exception to or exemption from this Code to any person, transaction or series
of transactions, provided that the exception or exemption is not contrary to
the mandatory requirements of applicable Laws, Rules and Regulations.
Exceptions or exemptions must be in writing and specify the reason(s) and any
conditions imposed. In determining whether to grant permission for an initial
public offering or limited offering, the Chief Compliance Officer shall
consider, among other things, whether such offering should be reserved for a
Fund or other client of the Adviser, and whether such transaction is being
offered to the person because of his or her position with the Adviser. If an
Access Person receives approval, they must disclose such investments whenever
they are involved in the Adviser’s subsequent consideration of these
investments for any client. Further, the decision to purchase or sell such
security for any client should be made by persons with no personal direct or
indirect interest in the security.
Involuntary Transactions.
Transactions that are non-volitional by either the Access Person or
any client (including transactions with respect to which such Access Person has
no actual advance knowledge of a given trade).
Automatic Investment Plans.
Transactions made automatically in accordance with a predetermined
schedule and allocation, such as dividend reinvestment plans.
Rights Offerings.
Purchases effected upon the exercise of rights issued by an issuer pro
rata to all holders of a class of its securities, to the extent such rights
were acquired from such issuer, and sales of rights so acquired.
Section 5 - Periodic
Certification
On a quarterly basis, Access Persons (other than
those whose trading is subject to
Portfolio
Manager Restrictions and have not been permitted to hold a Reporting Account
away) shall certify that they have reviewed their quarter-end holdings reports
and that securities holdings in which they have a beneficial interest are
accurately reflected.
On an annual basis, Access Persons whose trading is
subject to Portfolio Manager Restrictions and have not been permitted to
maintain a Reporting Account away, shall certify that they have reviewed their
year-end holdings reports and that securities holdings in which they have a
beneficial interest are accurately reflected.
On an annual basis, all Access Persons shall
certify that they have read, understand, and intend to comply with this Code.
Section 6 - Service as a
Director of a Publicly Traded Company
1.
No Access
Person shall serve as director of any publicly traded company without first
obtaining approval of the President. Any such approval shall be based on a
determination by the President that such board service will be consistent with
the interests of the clients of the Adviser, and that such person serving as a
director will be isolated from those making investment decisions with respect
to such company by appropriate procedures. At the direction of the President,
in his or her sole discretion, such person may be required to resign from such
directorship.
Section 7 - Gifts and
Entertainment
The giving or receiving of gifts or business
entertainment could give rise to a potential or actual conflict of interest,
such that the gift or entertainment is provided as a kickback or
quid pro quo
.
Gifts:
No Access
Person, whether directly or indirectly, shall give or receive a Gift in excess
of $100 per year to or from any person associated with a financial services
firm or vendor doing business with, or hoping to do business with, the Funds
and or Saturna. Gifts and entertainment connected to the purchase or sale of a
Fund’s portfolio securities are not permitted. All Gifts must be reported to
the Chief
Compliance Officer within
30 days of receipt. For purposes of this provision,
promotional items of nominal value that are widely distributed and
display a gift
giver’s logo, such as golf
balls, shirts, towels and pens, do not fall within the definition of “Gift.”
Business entertainment:
No Access Person may provide Business Entertainment to any person from
whom Saturna is soliciting business or with whom Saturna is conducting
business, in excess of the dollar limit applicable to such person as
established by the President or Chief Financial Officer of Saturna. Trustees of
the Funds and investment advisory clients of Saturna are exempted from this
requirement.
Payment or Reimbursement of Expenses:
Payments of an Access Person's or Trustee's ("Attendee")
expenses in connection with meetings held by an offeror or by a securities
brokerage firm, for the purpose of training or education of the Attendee may be
received, provided that:
The Attendee keeps, including all compensation
received, the name of the offeror or brokerage firm, the amount of cash
received, and the nature and, if known, value of any non-cash compensation;
The Attendee obtains the President's prior approval
to attend the meeting;
The location is appropriate to the purpose of the
meeting, which shall mean an office of the offeror or the brokerage firm, or a
facility located in the vicinity of such office, or a regional location with
respect to regional meetings;
The payment or reimbursement is not applied to the
expenses of guests of the Attendee; and
The payment or reimbursement by the offeror or
brokerage firm is not subject to any conditions. The limits of this paragraph
shall not apply to any expenses incurred by any Fund or trustee which are paid
by the Adviser in connection with any meeting, conference, education or other
activity of any kind related to business of a Fund.
Section 8 - Disclosures
Fund trustee disclosures.
Fund trustees must disclose ownership interests in Fund securities,
qualifications for their Fund positions, compensation, meeting attendance,
potential conflicts of interest, and other details specified in SEC regulations
which are received through an annual questionnaire. Questions are directed to
Fund legal counsel and/or the Chief Compliance Officer.
Code of Ethics disclosure.
The Funds disclose in their registration statements that:
The Funds and the Adviser have adopted this Code of
Ethics;
This Code permits personnel to invest in securities
for their own accounts, and
This Code is on public file, and available from,
the SEC. This Code of Ethics is filed as an exhibit to the Funds' registration
statements and is available online at Saturna websites.
Section 9 - Administration
and Enforcement
The Chief Compliance Officer will administer the
Code and shall be responsible for a quarterly review, as prepared by the
Reporting Account system, which compares Reporting Account securities transactions
of Access Persons with completed portfolio transactions of clients to
determine, among other things, whether a violation of this Code of Ethics,
front-running, or insider trading may have occurred.
Possible violations of this Code of Ethics must be
reported to the Chief Compliance
Officer
immediately, or in the absence of the Chief Compliance Officer, to any
Compliance Officer, the President, or to any Director. Possible violations
shall be promptly investigated, and violations reported through the Chief
Compliance Officer to the President and board of directors of the Adviser, with
copies to Fund boards. Such report shall include the corrective action taken
and any recommendation for disciplinary action deemed appropriate by the Chief
Compliance Officer. Such recommendation shall be based on, among other things,
the severity of the infraction, whether it is a first or repeat offense, and
whether it is part of a pattern of disregard for the letter and intent of this
Code of Ethics. The President or board of directors of the Adviser may impose
such sanctions for violation of this Code of Ethics as deemed appropriate,
including, but not limited to:
Suspension or termination of the employment;
Reversal of a securities trade at the violator's
expense and risk, including disgorgement of any profit; and
In serious cases, referral to law enforcement or
regulatory authorities.
At their first regular meeting in each calendar
year, the Fund boards must be provided and review an annual report from the
Adviser on compliance for the previous year. The Boards must receive a
certification that the Fund and the Adviser "have adopted procedures
reasonably necessary to prevent Access Persons from violating" their codes
before approving this Code of Ethics and "not less frequently than
annually" thereafter. The annual report to the Fund boards must describe
any issues and material violations arising under this Code since the last
report.
Section 10 - Certification
By
signing, you are certifying that you have read, understand, and intend to
comply with this Code.
Section 11 - Appendix A
Sarbanes-Oxley SOX Code of Ethics for the
Principal Executive Officer and Principal
Financial Officer of
AMANA MUTUAL FUNDS TRUST SATURNA INVESTMENT
TRUST
I. COVERED OFFICERS/PURPOSE
OF THE SOX CODE
This Sarbanes-Oxley SOX Code of
Ethics (the “SOX Code”) for the series of funds (each, a
“Fund” and collectively, the
“Funds”) of Amana Mutual Funds Trust and Saturna Investment
Trust (each, a “Trust” and
collectively, the “Trusts”) applies to each Trust’s Principal Executive Officer
and Principal Financial Officer (the “Covered Officers,” identified on Schedule
A). The purpose of this SOX Code is to promote:
Honest and ethical conduct, including the ethical
handling of actual or apparent conflicts of interest between personal and
professional relationships;
Full, fair, accurate, timely, and understandable
disclosure in reports and documents that a registrant files with, or submits
to, the SEC and in other public communications made by the Funds;
Compliance with applicable laws and governmental
rules and regulations;
The prompt internal reporting of violations of the
SOX Code to an appropriate person or persons identified in the SOX Code; and
Accountability for adherence to the SOX Code.
Each Covered Officer should
adhere to a high standard of business ethics and should be sensitive to
situations that may give rise to actual as well as apparent conflicts of
interest.
II. COVERED OFFICERS SHOULD
HANDLE ETHICALLY ANY ACTUAL AND
APPARENT CONFLICTS OF
INTEREST
A “conflict of interest”
occurs when a Covered Officer’s personal interest interferes with the interests
of, or his service to, a Fund. For example, a conflict of interest would arise
if a Covered Officer, or a member of his family, were to receive improper
personal benefits as a result of his position with a Fund.
Certain conflicts of interest
arise out of the relationships between Covered Officers and a
Fund and already are subject
to conflict of interest provisions in the Investment Company Act of 1940 and
the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. For example, Covered Officers may not
individually engage in certain transactions (such as the purchase or sale of
securities or other property) with the Fund because of their status as
“affiliated persons” of the investment adviser to each of the Funds. The
compliance programs and procedures of the Funds and Saturna Capital Corporation
(“Saturna”) are designed to prevent, or identify and correct, violations of
such requirements. This SOX Code does not, and is not intended to, repeal or
replace those programs and procedures, and such conflicts fall outside of the
parameters of this SOX Code.
Although typically not
presenting an opportunity for improper personal benefit, conflicts arise from,
or as a result of, the contractual relationship between each of the Funds and
Saturna, for which the Covered Officers may also serve as trustees, officers,
or crewmembers. As a result, this SOX Code recognizes that the Covered Officers
will, in the normal course of their duties (whether formally for a Fund or for
Saturna, or for both), be involved in establishing policies and implementing
decisions that will have different effects on Saturna and each of the Funds.
The participation of the Covered Officers in such activities is inherent in the
contractual relationship between each of the Funds and Saturna and is
consistent with the performance by the Covered Officers of their duties as
officers of one or more Funds and, if addressed in conformity with the
provisions of the Investment Company Act and the Investment Advisers Act, will
be deemed to have been handled ethically. In addition, it is recognized by the
Boards of Trustees of each Trust (collectively, the “Board of Trustees”) that
the Covered Officers may also be directors, officers, or crewmembers of Saturna
and are covered by this SOX Code and by a separate code of ethics.
Other conflicts of interest
are covered by this SOX Code, even if such conflicts of interest are not
subject to provisions in the Investment Company Act and the Investment Advisers
Act. In reading the following examples of conflicts of interest under this SOX
Code, Covered Officers should keep in mind that such a list cannot ever be
exhaustive and cannot consider every possible scenario. As such, the overarching
principle that the personal interest of a Covered Officer should not be placed
improperly before the interest of a Fund shall govern and shall be the standard
by which a Covered Officer’s conduct is judged under this SOX Code.
Each Covered Officer must not:
Use his personal influence or personal
relationships improperly to influence investment decisions or financial
reporting by a Fund whereby the Covered Officer would benefit personally to the
detriment of the Fund; and
Cause a Fund to take action, or fail to take
action, for the individual personal benefit of the Covered Officer rather than
the benefit the Fund.
There are some potential
conflict of interest situations that should be discussed with Saturna’s Chief
Legal Officer if material. Examples of these include:
Service as a director on the board of any public
company;
Any direct ownership interest in, or any consulting
or employment relationship with, any of the Funds’ service providers, other
than Saturna or any affiliated person of Saturna;
A direct or indirect financial interest in
commissions, transaction charges, or spreads paid by a Fund for effecting
portfolio transactions or for selling or redeeming shares, other than an
interest arising from the Covered Officer’s employment, such as compensation or
as director, officer, shareholder, or crewmember of Saturna.
III. DISCLOSURE &
COMPLIANCE
It is the responsibility of
each Covered Officer to promote compliance with the standards and restrictions
imposed by applicable laws, rules, and regulations. In addition, each Covered
Officer:
Should familiarize himself with the disclosure
requirements generally applicable to the Funds;
Should not knowingly misrepresent, or cause others
to misrepresent, facts about a Fund to others, whether within or outside
Saturna or a Fund, including to a Trust’s Independent Trustees and auditors,
and to governmental regulators and selfregulatory organizations; and
Should, to the extent appropriate within his area
of responsibility, consult with other officers of the Trust and crewmembers of
Saturna with the goal of promoting full, fair, accurate, timely and
understandable disclosure in the reports and documents the Funds file with, or
submit to, the SEC and in other public communications made by the Funds.
IV. REPORTING AND
ACCOUNTABILITY
Saturna’s Chief Legal Officer
is responsible for applying this SOX Code to specific situations in which questions
are presented under it and has the authority to interpret this SOX Code in any
particular situation. The Chief Legal Officer may consult, as appropriate, with
the Independent Trustees, and/or counsel to the Independent Trustees, and is
encouraged to do so. However, any approvals or waivers sought by the Covered
Persons will be considered and approved by the Independent Trustees.
Each Covered Officer must:
Upon adoption of the SOX Code, affirm in writing to
the Board of Trustees that he has received, read, and understands the SOX Code;
Annually thereafter affirm to the Board of Trustees
that he has complied with the requirements of the SOX Code;
Report at least annually such affiliations or other
relationships related to conflicts of interest as covered by the Annual
Directors & Officers Questionnaire;
Not retaliate against any crewmember or member of
Saturna for reports of violations or potential violations of law or this SOX
Code that are made in good faith; and
Notify Saturna’s Chief Legal Officer promptly if he
is aware of any violation or potential violation of law or this SOX Code,
recognizing that failure to do so is itself a violation of this SOX Code.
Each of the Funds will follow
these procedures in investigating and enforcing this SOX Code:
Saturna’s Chief Legal Officer will take all
appropriate action to investigate any potential violations reported to him;
If, after such investigation, the Chief Legal
Officer believes that no violation has occurred, the Chief Legal Officer is not
required to take any further action, but he shall discuss with the Trust’s
Independent Trustees at its next regularly scheduled meeting his investigation
and conclusion;
Any matter that the Chief Legal Officer believes is
a violation will be reported to the Independent Trustees;
If the Independent Trustees concur that a violation
has occurred, the Independent Trustees will consider appropriate action, which
may include review of, and appropriate modifications to, applicable policies
and procedures; notification to appropriate personnel of Saturna; or a
recommendation to dismiss the Covered Officer;
The Independent Trustees will be responsible for
granting waivers, as appropriate; and
Any changes to or waivers of this SOX Code will, to
the extent required, be disclosed as provided by SEC rules.
V. OTHER POLICIES AND
PROCEDURES
This SOX Code shall be the
sole SOX Code of ethics adopted by the Trusts (on behalf of each Fund) for
purposes of Section 406 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the rules and forms
applicable to registered investment companies thereunder. To the extent that
they overlap or conflict, the provisions of this SOX Code supersede the
policies and procedures of the Funds and the Funds’ adviser, principal
underwriter, and other service providers. The Funds’ and Saturna’s Code of
Ethics under Rule 17j-1 under the Investment Company Act are separate
requirements applying to the Covered Officers and others and are not part of
this SOX Code.
VI. AMENDMENTS
Except as to the individuals
listed on Schedule A, this SOX Code may not be amended except in written form,
which shall be explicitly approved or ratified by a majority vote of each
Trust’s Independent Trustees.
VII. CONFIDENTIALITY
All reports and records
prepared or maintained pursuant to this SOX Code shall be considered
confidential and shall be maintained and protected accordingly. Except as
otherwise required by law or this SOX Code, such matters shall not be disclosed
to anyone other than the Independent Trustees and their independent legal
counsel.
VIII. INTERNAL USE
The SOX Code is intended
solely for the internal use by each of the Funds and does not constitute an
admission, by or on behalf of any Fund, as to any fact, circumstance, or legal
conclusion.
SCHEDULE A
Persons
Covered by this SOX Code of Ethics
Position
with Trusts
Jane K. Carten
Principal
Executive Officer
Christopher R. Fankhauser
Principal Financial Officer