Franklin Templeton and its Specialist Investment Managers Achieve High Sustainability Grades From PRI

SAN MATEO, Calif., September 18, 2020 /3BL Media/ – In keeping with the newly-expanded company’s commitment to sustainability and good corporate governance, Franklin Templeton is proud to report high marks from the United Nations-supported Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI).

Franklin Templeton and all the specialist investment managers that joined the company through its recent acquisition of Legg Mason are signatories to PRI, which is recognized as the leading global network for investors committed to incorporating environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations into their investment philosophies. Signatories agree to contribute to the development of a more sustainable global financial system.

ClearBridge Investments (and RARE Infrastructure, now a subsidiary of ClearBridge), Clarion Partners, Franklin Templeton and Martin Currie each received A+ PRI scores for their overall strategy and governance, outperforming peers in their respective asset classes.

Franklin Templeton’s specialist investment managers take pride in their involvement with PRI. A sampling includes:

Clarion Partners

Since 2013, Clarion has reported to PRI on its firm-wide corporate responsibility efforts. For the fourth year in a row, Clarion received the highest score of A+ on the Strategy & Governance module and received an A for the Property module for the 2020 PRI assessment.

ClearBridge Investments

A signatory since 2008 and a leading practitioner of ESG integration, ClearBridge achieved PRI scores of A+ in Strategy & Governance, A+ for Listed Equity-Incorporation and A in Listed Equity-Active Ownership. In joining with ClearBridge, RARE Infrastructure’s long and deep commitment to ESG will only be enhanced.

Franklin Templeton

A PRI signatory since 2013, Franklin Templeton is pleased that its scores have remained constant or improved as criteria tightened. Franklin Templeton also achieved scores of A+ in Strategy & Governance, A+ for Listed Equity-Incorporation and A in Listed Equity-Active Ownership.

Martin Currie

For the fourth year in a row, Martin Currie achieved the highest possible A+ scores in all three categories – Strategy & Governance, Listed Equity Incorporation and Active Ownership – as well as the underlying elements of each category. Martin Currie received the full number of stars for listed equity screening, proxy voting and individual engagements with companies. Martin Currie has been a signatory to the PRI since 2009.

About Franklin Resources

Franklin Resources, Inc. [NYSE:BEN] is a global investment management organization with subsidiaries operating as Franklin Templeton and serving clients in over 165 countries. Franklin Templeton’s mission is to help clients achieve better outcomes through investment management expertise, wealth management and technology solutions. Through its specialist investment managers, the company brings extensive capabilities in equity, fixed income, alternatives and custom multi-asset solutions. With offices in over 30 countries and 1,300 investment professionals, the California-based company has more than 70 years of investment experience and approximately $1.4 trillion in assets under management as of August 31, 2020. For more information, please visit franklintempleton.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.