weighted index
comprised of US dollar-denominated corporate bonds that (a) are publicly issued in the
United States and registered with the SEC or eligible for resale under Rule 144A under
the Securities Act of 1933, with or without registration rights, (b) are rated
investment grade (i.e., rated at the time of inclusion in the Eligible Universe within
the top four ratings categories by a Nationally Recognized Statistical Rating Organization (“NRSRO”)), and (c) have, at each rebalance, (i) a final time to stated maturity of at
least one year and (ii) an outstanding principal balance of at least $250 million. The
Fund does not have any portfolio maturity limitation and may invest its assets from
time to time in instruments with varying maturities.
The Underlying Index starts by excluding certain companies from the Eligible Universe that, based on
third-party data, are determined to have certain levels of controversial business
involvement or behavior, including in tobacco, weaponry, thermal coal, unconventional oil and gas, and for-profit prisons, or to have caused, contributed to or are linked to certain violations of
international norms and standards. Such exclusions are based on percentage of revenue
thresholds for certain categories (e.g., those that receive significant revenue from production, retail and distribution of civilian weapons) and categorical exclusions for others (e.g., tobacco producers). The
above-described exclusionary screens are applied with each reconstitution of the
Underlying Index. The Index Provider may modify this list of excluded companies at any time, at its own discretion.
The Underlying Index next applies an optimization process to minimize variance to the Eligible Universe while also targeting certain ESG characteristics,
which is designed to produce an index that, relative to the Eligible Universe: (a) has
an aggregate higher scoring of certain ESG characteristics, as measured by the Northern Trust ESG Vector Score (“ESG Vector Score”) described below, (b) improves the carbon risk rating, as measured
by certain carbon-related risk metrics, and (c) decreases the weighted average carbon
intensity and potential emissions.
The ESG Vector Score is designed to rank companies based on their management of and exposure to
material ESG metrics as defined by the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board
(“SASB”) Standards. In addition, the Index Provider uses available data from Institutional Shareholder Services ESG Solutions to assess carbon emissions intensity, carbon reserves and a carbon risk
rating. Carbon emissions intensity measures (i) direct greenhouse gas emissions from
sources controlled or owned by the company (e.g.,
emissions associated with fuel combustion in boilers, furnaces, or vehicles); and (ii) indirect
greenhouse gas emissions associated with the purchase of electricity, steam, heat or
cooling against the company. Carbon reserves measure the total estimated greenhouse gas emissions attributable to a company’s fossil fuel reserve assets. The carbon risk rating provides an assessment of a
company’s ability to mitigate the risks of transition to a lower carbon economy
based on its specific baseline carbon risk exposure.
In the event that metrics or other data used to construct the ESG Vector Score as well as carbon emissions intensity, carbon reserves and/or the carbon risk
rating are not available or otherwise deemed unreliable, NTI may make reasonable
estimates or otherwise exercise its discretion to implement the optimization process.
Notwithstanding the optimization process, it is possible that the Underlying Index will include (and therefore the Fund could invest in) securities that,
individually, have a lower ESG Vector Score, lower carbon risk rating, or higher
emissions relative to the weighted average of the Eligible Universe. The optimization
process also includes sector, country, turnover, issuer and constituent constraints so
that these characteristics in the Underlying Index vary within acceptable bands
relative to the Eligible Universe.
As of December 31,
2025, there were 4,138 issues in the Underlying Index. The Underlying Index is reconstituted monthly under normal market conditions. The Fund generally reconstitutes its portfolio in accordance
with the Underlying Index.
NTI uses a “passive” or indexing approach to try to achieve
the Fund’s investment objective. Unlike many investment companies, the Fund does
not try to “beat” the index it tracks and does not seek temporary defensive positions when markets decline or appear overvalued.
NTI uses a representative sampling strategy to manage the Fund. “Representative sampling” is investing in a representative sample of securities
that collectively has an investment profile similar to the Underlying Index. The Fund
may or may not hold all of the securities that are included in the Underlying Index.
The Fund reserves the right to invest in substantially all of the securities in its Underlying Index in approximately the same proportions (i.e., replication) if NTI determines that it is in the
best interest of the Fund.
Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its total assets (exclusive of collateral held from securities lending) in the securities of
the Underlying Index. The Fund may also invest up to 20% of its assets in cash and cash
equivalents, including shares of money market funds advised by NTI or its affiliates, futures contracts