Footnotes:
1Morningstar, “Sustainable Funds, U.S. Landscape Report,” February 2024. https://www.morningstar.com/lp/sustainable-funds-landscape-report
2McKinsey & Company. “Diversity Matters Even More: The Case for Holistic Impact” 2023. https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/diversity-and-inclusion/diversity-matters-even-more-the-case-for-holistic-impact
Disclosures:
Investors should carefully consider the investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses of a mutual fund/ETF before investing. The prospectus contains this and other information about the mutual fund/ETF. To obtain a prospectus, contact your Financial Advisor or visit the mutual fund/ETF company’s website. Please read the prospectus carefully before investing.
Certain portfolios may include investment holdings deemed Environmental, Social and Governance (“ESG”) investments. For reference, environmental ("E") factors can include, but are not limited to, climate change, pollution, waste, and how an issuer protects and/or conserves natural resources. Social ("S") factors can include, but not are not limited to, how an issuer manages its relationships with individuals, such as its employees, shareholders, and customers as well as its community. Governance ("G") factors can include, but are not limited to, how an issuer operates, such as its leadership composition, pay and incentive structures, internal controls, and the rights of equity and debt holders. You should carefully review an investment product's prospectus or other offering documents, disclosures and/or marketing material to learn more about how it incorporates ESG factors into its investment strategy.
ESG investments may also be referred to as sustainable investments, impact aware investments, socially responsible investments or diversity, equity, and inclusion (“DEI”) investments. It is important to understand there are inconsistent ESG definitions and criteria within the industry, as well as multiple ESG ratings providers that provide ESG ratings of the same subject companies and/or securities that vary among the providers. This is due to a current lack of consistent global reporting and auditing standards as well as differences in definitions, methodologies, processes, data sources and subjectivity among ESG rating providers when determining a rating. Certain issuers of investments including, but not limited to, separately managed accounts (SMAs), mutual funds and exchange traded-funds (ETFs) may have differing and inconsistent views concerning ESG criteria where the ESG claims made in offering documents or other literature may overstate ESG impact. Further, socially responsible norms vary by region, and an issuer’s ESG practices or Morgan Stanley’s assessment of an issuer’s ESG practices can change over time.
Portfolios that include investment holdings deemed ESG investments or that employ ESG screening criteria as part of an overall strategy may experience performance that is lower or higher than a portfolio not employing such practices. Portfolios with ESG restrictions and strategies as well as ESG investments may not be able to take advantage of the same opportunities or market trends as portfolios where ESG criteria is not applied. There is no assurance that an ESG investing strategy or techniques employed will be successful. Past performance is not a guarantee or a dependable measure of future results. For risks related to a specific fund, please refer to the fund's prospectus or summary prospectus.
Investment managers can have different approaches to ESG and can offer strategies that differ from the strategies offered by other investment managers with respect to the same theme or topic. Additionally, when evaluating investments, an investment manager is dependent upon information and data that may be incomplete, inaccurate or unavailable, which could cause the manager to incorrectly assess an investment’s ESG characteristics or performance. Such data or information may be obtained through voluntary or third-party reporting. Morgan Stanley does not verify that such information and data is accurate and makes no representation or warranty as to its accuracy, timeliness, or completeness when evaluating an issuer. This can cause Morgan Stanley to incorrectly assess an issuer’s business practices with respect to its ESG practices. As a result, it is difficult to compare ESG investment products. Morgan Stanley’s assessment of an issuer’s ESG practices or an ESG portfolio is as of the date of this material. No assurance is provided that the underlying assets have maintained or will maintain any applicable ESG designations or any stated ESG compliance, or that the underlying assets have been operated or will be operated in an ESG-compliant manner. The ESG impacts of the securities and any underlying assets may vary over time.]
This can cause Morgan Stanley to incorrectly assess an issuer’s business practices with respect to its ESG practices. As a result, it is difficult to compare ESG investment products.
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