Aurum Funds

Aurum is a business that is committed to considering environmental, social and governance ("ESG") issues. Aurum supports and has founded numerous charities that promote and protect the environment. Our CIO is founder and trustee of Synchronicity Earth, an environmental charity that looks to create sustainable solutions to some of the world’s pressing conservation issues (http://www.synchronicityearth.org). Aurum donates all of the management fee it receives from the Synchronicity Fund to this charity. In our offices, we have a strong recycling culture and awareness of reducing our operational carbon footprint. Aurum also supports and has founded numerous charities dealing with social issues. Our CEO is co-founder and trustee of the Global Board for ARK, an international charitable organisation whose purpose is to transform the life of children across the globe (http://www.arkonline.org). Additionally, we encourage our employees to take initiative on their own and donate to their fundraising activities through a contribution matching scheme. Aurum is devoted to achieving a working environment that is underpinned by fairness to all individuals, where diversity is recognised, encouraged and valued and the concept of individual responsibility accepted by all. It is recognised that whilst much can be achieved by legislative measures, real progress in improving equality of opportunity in employment can only be achieved with a continuing commitment, in all disciplines and at all levels, and through training that reflects and supports equal opportunities throughout the organisation. Aurum embraces the Ten Principles of the United Nations Global Compact and has signed the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment Initiative, which asks its signatories to actively integrate ESG factors into the investment process. Furthermore, the UNPRI offers guidance and collaboration with our peers to work towards a more sustainable global financial system. (http://www.unpri.org) ESG issues are incorporated into the investment decision-making process when Aurum considers making a new investment and when performing monitoring of its existing managers. The ODD report includes a separate ESG section and the ODD team has a right of veto over investments if a manager fails to meet Aurum’s standards. Additionally, the close relationships we have with our managers allow us to have a constructive dialogue around the topic of ESG. However, we recognise the difficulty, risks and constraints that implementing a specific SRI policy impose on our funds. Therefore, the investment strategies of our funds and the managers we invest with are not, per se, run according to an explicit ethically or socially responsible style or according to a screening process of specific environmental and sustainable criteria. Aurum does not have an official exclusion policy with its underlying managers to the extent such a policy avoids investment in certain companies. In situations where Aurum provides a bespoke portfolio for investors for whom ESG is a fundamental consideration, Aurum would work with the investor to address this and ensure ESG targets are met.