The Fund invests primarily in a focused international portfolio of equity securities of companies whose business activities the Adviser believes position the company to benefit from certain sustainable investment themes that align with one or more of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (“SDGs”). These themes include the advancement of climate, health and empowerment. Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets in equity securities of issuers located outside of the United States that satisfy the Fund’s sustainability criteria. An issuer that derives at least 25% of its total revenues from activities consistent with the achievement of the SDGs meets such criteria, although many of the issuers in which the Fund invests will derive a much greater portion of their revenues from such activities.

The Adviser employs a combination of “top‑down” and “bottom‑up” investment processes with the goal of identifying, based on its internal research and analysis, securities of companies worldwide, that fit into sustainable investment themes. First, the Adviser identifies through its “top‑down” process the sustainable investment themes. In addition to this “top‑down” thematic approach, the Adviser then uses a “bottom‑up” analysis of individual companies, focusing on prospective earnings growth, valuation, and quality of company management and on evaluating a company’s exposure to environmental, social and corporate governance (“ESG”) factors. ESG factors, which can vary across companies and industries, may include environmental impact, corporate governance, ethical business practices, employee practices, product safety, supply chain management and community impact. Eligible investments include securities of issuers that the Adviser believes will maximize total return while also contributing to positive societal impact aligned with one or more SDGs. While the Adviser emphasizes company-specific positive selection criteria over broad-based negative screens in assessing a company’s exposure to ESG factors, the Fund will not invest in companies that derive revenue from direct involvement in adult entertainment, alcohol, cannabis, coal, controversial weapons, firearms, gambling, genetically modified organisms, military contracting, prisons, or tobacco. Activities deriving revenue and revenue thresholds may vary by sector.

The Adviser normally considers a large universe of mid‑ to large-capitalization companies worldwide for investment, but may invest in companies of any size. The Fund invests, under normal circumstances, in the equity securities of companies located in at least three countries (and normally substantially more) other than the United States. The Fund invests in securities of companies in both developed and emerging market countries, with the stock selection process determining the geographic distribution of the Fund’s investments. The Fund also invests in the equity securities of companies located in the United States with exposure to international markets. The Fund may sell securities that no longer meet the investment criteria described above.

Currencies can have a dramatic impact on equity returns, significantly adding to returns in some years and greatly diminishing them in others. Currency and equity positions are evaluated separately. The Adviser may seek to hedge the currency exposure resulting from securities positions when it finds the currency exposure unattractive. To hedge all or a portion of its currency risk, the Fund may, from time to time, invest in currency-related derivatives, including forward currency exchange contracts, futures contracts, options on futures contracts, swaps and options. The Adviser may also seek investment opportunities by taking long or short positions in currencies through the use of currency-related derivatives.

The Fund may enter into other derivatives transactions, such as options, futures contracts, forwards, and swaps. The Fund may use options strategies involving the purchase and/or writing of various combinations of call and/or put options, including on individual securities and stock indices, futures contracts (including futures contracts on individual securities and stock indices) or shares of exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”). These transactions may be used, for example, in an effort to earn extra income, to adjust exposure to individual securities or markets, or to protect all or a portion of the Fund’s portfolio from a decline in value, sometimes within certain ranges.