Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets, plus borrowings for investment purposes, in sustainable companies. Sustainable companies are companies that are determined by Green Alpha Advisors, LLC, the Fund’s sub-advisor (the “Green Alpha”), that seek to mitigate global sustainability systemic risks. Such risks include, but are not limited to, the climate crisis, natural resource degradation and scarcity, and human disease burdens.

The Fund seeks investments in companies that in addition to seeking to address global sustainability systemic risks, Green Alpha believes have above-average growth potential and are reasonably valued at the time of purchase.

In selecting investments for the Fund, Green Alpha identifies the universe of investible companies as companies that Green Alpha believes are leading a transition to global stability in one or more of the following four pillars of sustainability:

1.   Rapid, large economic productivity gains: Economic productivity gains are defined by Green Alpha as the ability of the economy to produce increasingly more goods and services for the same amount (or less) of inputs, including work as measured in person hours and/or energy required, capital required, or required consumed materials including natural resources. For an economy to continue to function indefinitely without succumbing to one of the system-level threats present today, economic productivity must increase such that current and growing levels of output can be maintained versus shrinking quantities of inputs. In the language of sustainability, this is sometimes referred to as economic “dematerialization.”

2.   Renewable energies: The efficient, innovative means of production must be powered entirely by renewable sources of energy, which Green Alpha defines as those with zero cost of fuel input, including wind, water, solar, and some forms of geothermal energy.

3.   Waste-to-value supply chains: Extraction of primary geological resources needs to be reduced dramatically, and ultimately halted altogether. Thus, life cycle product management and indefinite reuse of already economically functional material is important.

4.   More equitable distribution of wealth: This fourth pillar ties the first three together. Historically, education and productivity have been the most important influences on stability, economic growth, and social well-being. A high degree of social cohesion is required to address risks and achieve true sustainability, and conversely, sharply divided civilizations have often experienced collapse. If individuals believe they live in a fair system with equal access to opportunity, civil unrest and its attendant risks are greatly attenuated.

Green Alpha’s selection process includes proprietary, multi-dimensional research and analysis methodologies. In order to qualify for potential investment by the Fund, a company’s business activities must be net contributing to one or more of the four pillars of sustainability that are described above. This is determined based on an evaluation of a company’s source of revenues and capital expenditure priorities. In particular, the company’s earning revenue generation must be majority derived from advancing one or more of the four pillars of sustainability, and similarly, the company’s capital expenditures must prioritize further investment addressing the sustainability pillar(s). If a company meets this initial qualification for potential investment, further analysis is then undertaken to determine the company’s commitment to sustainability utilizing metrics such as realized and planned efforts at decarbonization, electrification, dematerialization, and reductions in overall emissions. In particular, a company must have stated operational sustainability commitments and demonstrated adherence to such commitments. After this evaluation, further analysis is undertaken to determine relative social and governance merits of a company, such as diversity of leadership and workforce, employee well-being, and commitment to developing long-term shareholder value. If a company sufficiently passes the above-described evaluation process, it is put through fundamentals and valuation analysis, referred to as the “bottom-up process.” Fundamental factors considered in Green Alpha’s bottom-up process include, but are not limited to: revenue growth history and forward-looking expectations, track record of delivering margins and margin expansion, balance sheet health (emphasis on debt structure, levels and access to future capital, cost of capital), ability to service debt, and strong and expanding cash flows (or path to positive and expanding cash flows). Valuation factors considered in Green Alpha’s bottom-up process include but are not limited to: price-to-book ratio, price-to-sales ratio, price-to-cash flow ratio, market-share growth, addressable market growth, and revenue and earnings growth expectations relative to current price. Green Alpha applies its proprietary investment process to each equity investment opportunity.

Green Alpha’s proprietary research and analysis processes seek opportunities in all sectors and industries, regardless of which pillar(s) of sustainability a company may address. In addition, Green Alpha utilizes an active management approach to the strategy. As such, at any given time, the Fund’s portfolio may be more heavily weighted towards companies that address a particular pillar of sustainability. Green Alpha’s strategy may place additional emphasis on companies that seek to simultaneously address two or more pillars of sustainability, and/or solve for two or more system-level risks. For example, Green Alpha believes that electric, zero emissions transportation mitigates both human disease burdens, particularly in cities where tailpipe emissions are a major public health concern, and the climate crisis.

The Fund may invest in companies of all sizes and across economic sectors and geography. Although the Fund will attempt to invest as much of its assets as is practical in common stocks and American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”), the Fund may maintain a reasonable (up to 20%) position in U.S. Treasury Bills and money market instruments to meet liquidity needs.