Strategy. The Global Social Core Equity Portfolio is a fund of funds, which means that the Portfolio generally allocates its assets among other mutual funds managed by Dimensional Fund Advisors LP (the Advisor), although it also has the ability to invest directly in securities and derivatives. To achieve the Portfolios and the Underlying Funds (defined below) investment objectives, the Advisor implements an integrated investment approach that combines research, portfolio design, portfolio management, and trading functions. As further described below, the Portfolios and the Underlying Funds designs emphasize long-term drivers of expected returns identified by the Advisors research, while balancing risk through broad diversification across companies, sectors, and countries. The Advisors portfolio management and trading processes further balance those long-term drivers of … Show more… The Global Social Core Equity Portfolio is a fund of funds, which means that the Portfolio generally allocates its assets among other mutual funds managed by Dimensional Fund Advisors LP (the Advisor), although it also has the ability to invest directly in securities and derivatives. To achieve the Portfolios and the Underlying Funds (defined below) investment objectives, the Advisor implements an integrated investment approach that combines research, portfolio design, portfolio management, and trading functions. As further described below, the Portfolios and the Underlying Funds designs emphasize long-term drivers of expected returns identified by the Advisors research, while balancing risk through broad diversification across companies, sectors, and countries. The Advisors portfolio management and trading processes further balance those long-term drivers of expected returns with shorter-term drivers of expected returns and trading costs. The Global Social Core Equity Portfolio is designed to provide exposure to a broad portfolio of equity securities of U.S. and non-U.S. companies, with a meaningful emphasis on smaller capitalization, lower relative price, and higher profitability companies, by primarily purchasing shares of U.S. Social Core Equity 2 Portfolio, International Social Core Equity Portfolio, and Emerging Markets Social Core Equity Portfolio (the Underlying Funds). The Portfolio may have exposure to companies in all the market capitalization ranges. Periodically, the Advisor will review the allocations for the Portfolio in each Underlying Fund and may adjust allocations to the Underlying Funds or may add or remove Underlying Funds in the Portfolio without notice to shareholders. Additionally, the representation of securities in the Underlying Funds as compared to their representation in the U.S. and non-U.S. markets may be affected by the Underlying Funds social issue screens. As a non-fundamental policy, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of the Global Social Core Equity Portfolios net assets will be invested directly, or indirectly through its investment in the Underlying Funds, in equity securities. The Portfolio, directly or indirectly through its investment in the Underlying Funds, intends to invest its assets to gain exposure to at least three different countries, including the United States. As of the date of the Prospectus, the Portfolio, directly or indirectly through its investment in the Underlying Funds, invests approximately 61% of its net assets in U.S. companies. This percentage will change due to market conditions. The Advisor may also increase or reduce the Global Social Core Equity Portfolios and/or Underlying Funds exposure to an eligible company, or exclude a company, based on shorter-term considerations, such as a companys price momentum, short-run reversals, and investment characteristics. In assessing a companys investment characteristics, the Advisor considers ratios such as recent changes in assets divided by total assets. The criteria the Advisor uses for assessing a companys investment characteristics are subject to change from time to time. In addition, the Advisor seeks to reduce trading costs using a flexible trading approach that looks for opportunities to participate in the available market liquidity, while managing turnover and explicit transaction costs. The Global Social Core Equity Portfolio and each Underlying Fund may purchase or sell futures contracts and options on futures contracts for equity securities and indices, to increase or decrease equity market exposure based on actual or expected cash inflows to or outflows from the Portfolio or Underlying Fund. The Portfolio and international and emerging markets Underlying Funds may enter into foreign currency exchange transactions, including foreign currency forward contracts, in connection with the settlement of foreign securities, to hedge foreign currency risks, to hedge against fluctuations in currency exchange rates, or to transfer balances from one currency to another. In addition, the Global Social Core Equity Portfolio and each Underlying Fund may invest in exchange-traded funds (ETFs) for the purposes of gaining exposure to the equity markets, while maintaining liquidity. In addition to money market instruments and other short-term investments, the Portfolio and each Underlying Fund may invest in affiliated and unaffiliated registered and unregistered money market funds. The Portfolio and Underlying Funds may invest in such money market funds and other short-term investments to manage cash pending investment in other securities or to maintain liquidity for the payment of redemptions or other purposes. Investments in ETFs and money market funds may involve a duplication of certain fees and expenses. The above-referenced investments are not subject to, although they may incorporate, the Portfolios social criteria. The Global Social Core Equity Portfolio and Underlying Funds may lend their portfolio securities to generate additional income. The Global Social Core Equity Portfolio and each Underlying Fund seek to purchase securities that are consistent with the Portfolios and Underlying Funds social issue screens, which are monitored by, or based upon information from, an independent third party. The Portfolio and each Underlying Fund seek to exclude from their investment portfolios those companies that are identified by the Portfolios and Underlying Funds social issue screens, as further discussed below. The Portfolios and Underlying Funds social issue screens are designed to identify companies that: (1) earn at least 10% of their total annual revenue through the production and/or sale of conventional or nuclear weapons, their weapon systems, or key intended components of these products, or the provision of weapon systems support and service related to nuclear weapons, such as the repair and maintenance of nuclear weapons ; (2) have demonstrated complicity in genocide in Sudan, for example, by having ties to the Sudanese military or government, selling or distributing military equipment to a party based in Sudan or operating within Sudan borders, or generating 10% or more of its total assets or revenues in Sudan from the oil, mineral or power sectors; (3) earn at least 10% of their total annual revenue through the production and/or sale of tobacco ( this criteria does not cover products designed as an aid to quit smoking) , alcoholic beverages as an intoxicating agent ( this criteria does not cover packaging such as bottles, cans, corks or caps) , or cannabis products; (4) earn at least 10% of their total annual revenue from the ownership or operation of gambling facilities, licensing their brand name to gambling products, or providing support or services to the gambling industry; (5) directly participate in abortions, or develop or manufacture abortive agents or contraceptives; (6) earn at least 10% of their total annual revenue from the retail, distribution or production of pornographic products (this criteria does not cover companies that offer content sharing platforms that are not pornography focused but allow third-party users to upload pornographic content; (7) are involved in the production of landmines, cluster munitions, or key intended components of such weapons; (8) produce firearms (i.e., using an explosive charge as a propellant) intended for civilian use ; (9) have had involvement in severe child labor controversies (factors that may be considered for determining severity include, but are not limited to, a history of involvement in child labor-related legal cases, widespread or egregious instances of child labor, resistance to improved practices, and criticism by non-governmental organizations and/or other third-party observers) ; (10) conduct stem cell research using cells derived from human embryos or fetal tissue, or use fetal cell lines in the development of vaccines or other biopharmaceuticals; (11) operate or manage, or provide staffing services to, for-profit correctional and/or detention facilities ( this criteria does not cover provision of maintenance or non-management services, including staffing for such services) ; (12) have material involvement in severe environmental, social or governance controversies that indicate operations inconsistent with responsible business conduct standards, such as those defined by the United Nations Global Compact Principles and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises; (13) have relatively high carbon intensity or potential emissions from reserves or scaled potential emissions from reserves; and/or (14) have thermal or metallurgical coal reserves. The Global Social Core Equity Portfolio and each Underlying Fund may modify their lists of social issue screens, at any time, without prior shareholder approval or notice. Show less