World ETF

Alcohol

• Companies that derive 5% or more of their turnover from the production of alcoholic beverages are excluded from the ETF.

Civilian Firearms

• Companies, involved in the manufacture or sale of civilian firearms or related products, in particular companies producing semi-automatic rifles, or firearms or ammunition or key parts or services, are excluded from the Fund.

Chemicals of Concern

The following are excluded from the ETF:

• Companies that derive 10% or more of their turnovers from the production of pesticides.
• Companies that produce chemicals restricted by international agreements (such as chemicals listed in the UNEP 21 Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, in the Ospar Priority list of the Ospar Commission, and in the Montreal Protocol on Ozone Depleting Chemicals)
• Companies producing chemicals subject to NGO campaigns (such as bisphenol A, parabens, PVC, triclosan, etc.).

Military

The following are excluded from the Fund:

• Companies involved in the production of conventional weapons.
• Companies involved in the production of whole or strategic parts of nuclear weapons systems.
• Companies involved in the production of anti-personnel landmines.
• Companies involved in the production of whole or key parts or services for cluster munitions.

Animal Testing

The following are excluded from the ETF:

• Companies that provide animal testing services.
• Companies that derive 5% or more of their turnover from the production of cosmetic products tested on animals.
• Companies involved in the production or sale of fur products.
• Companies that are involved in intensive farming operations.

Gambling

The following are excluded from this ETF:

• Companies deriving 5% or more of their turnover from gambling operations or products are excluded as well from the Fund.

Nuclear Power

The following are excluded from the ETF:

• Companies involved in the generation of nuclear generated electricity.

Pornography

The following are excluded from World ETF by VanEck:

• Companies deriving 3% or more of their turnover from pornography and adult entertainment services, or from facilitating access to these types of products and services are not part of the ETF.

Tobacco

The following are excluded from the ETF:

• We also established to leave out of our ESG investing strategy companies involved in the production of tobacco.

Violations of UN Global Compact Principles

The following are excluded from World ETF:

• Companies that have not adequately addressed allegations of breaches of human rights principles.
• Companies that have not adequately addressed allegations in their own operations and in their supply chain of breaches of International Labour Standards, such as child labour, forced labour, discrimination, freedom of association and collective bargaining.
• Companies that have not adequately addressed allegations of breaches of anti-bribery principles.
• Companies that have not adequately addressed allegations of severe damage to biodiversity through indirect involvement in clearance of high conservation value ecosystems or of severe damage to ecosystems, natural habitats or populations of species, or of use or retail of threatened species.
• Companies that have not adequately addressed allegations of considerable environmental pollution.