Beyond Bulls & Bears

PODCAST: Consumer Clout Driving ESG Efforts
Multi-Asset

PODCAST: Consumer Clout Driving ESG Efforts

Franklin Equity Group's Sara Araghi, Martin Currie's Zehrid Osmani and Western Asset's Bonnie Wongtrakool speak with Franklin Templeton Chief Market Strategist Stephen Dover about how consumers are more in control than ever before, putting companies and brands under the microscope when it comes to environmental, social and governance factors.

PODCAST: Pandemic Lessons Learned: ESG Strategies for a Sustainable Recovery
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PODCAST: Pandemic Lessons Learned: ESG Strategies for a Sustainable Recovery

Our latest "Talking Markets" podcast examines post-pandemic shifts in priorities and behaviors for companies and investors using environmental, social, and corporate governance strategies.

Getting Ready for EU SFDR: Impact of Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation
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Getting Ready for EU SFDR: Impact of Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation

We recently assembled a panel to discuss the European Union’s Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation, which represents part of a plan to reorient capital towards a more sustainable economy, to mainstream sustainability into risk management, and foster transparency. Here, we share highlights from the panel.

PODCAST: ESG Investing: What to Expect in 2021 and Beyond
Perspectives

PODCAST: ESG Investing: What to Expect in 2021 and Beyond

Julie Moret, our global Head of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG), speaks with AssetTV’s Jenna Dagenhart about the ways the COVID-19 pandemic has affected ESG investing, and what these shifts could mean in 2021 and beyond.

Hired, Housed and Healthy: An Introduction to Our Social Infrastructure Strategy
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Hired, Housed and Healthy: An Introduction to Our Social Infrastructure Strategy

Social infrastructure—the physical assets where social services are provided to communities—has a crucial role to play in society. Franklin Real Asset Advisors’ Raymond Jacobs, Riccardo Abello and John Levy share their thoughts on the topic here.

Beyond Alignment: Contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals
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Beyond Alignment: Contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals

Our Raymond Jacobs and John Levy from Franklin Real Asset Advisors explain why impact investment products labelled as “aligned with the SDGs” should move beyond just alignment and make a real contribution to positive social and environmental outcomes.

Meet the Manager: John Levy
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Meet the Manager: John Levy

Because an intern didn’t show up for work, John Levy, Director of Impact, Franklin Real Asset Advisors, got his foot in the door at Franklin Templeton. Now, 14 years later, he’s leading the firm’s efforts in impact investing, helping the company prove itself as a leader in the space. Get to know John.

Impact Investing in Practice: Social Infrastructure
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Impact Investing in Practice: Social Infrastructure

To understand how impact management can be applied in practice, our Franklin Real Asset Advisors team, in collaboration with consulting firm Tideline, took an example from the real estate sector and considered the specific demands of social infrastructure. The third post of this three-part series explores why social infrastructure can be seen as a natural fit for most impact investors.

The Five Building Blocks of Effective Impact Management
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The Five Building Blocks of Effective Impact Management

No single, unified best practice has yet emerged for impact investing, and a proliferation of methodologies and metrics has introduced an element of confusion. Simply navigating through all the resources available to impact investors can be a challenge. In the second post in this three-part series, our Franklin Real Asset Advisors team, in collaboration with consulting firm Tideline, help guide us through what they call the “five building blocks” of effective impact management.

An Introduction to Impact Investing
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An Introduction to Impact Investing

Interest in impact investing is growing within the asset management industry, but there is still some confusion about it. We view impact investing’s defining feature as the explicit intention to generate positive, measurable social and environmental outcomes alongside a financial return. In the first of a three-part series, our Franklin Real Asset Advisors team, in collaboration with consulting firm Tideline, provide an overview of what impact investing is—and isn’t.

An Investor’s Perspective on the Proposed Taxonomy for Sustainable Finance
Perspectives

An Investor’s Perspective on the Proposed Taxonomy for Sustainable Finance

Can stakeholders (regulators, policymakers and market participants) deliver a sustainable finance framework that serves the end-client well? The European Union’s technical expert group has just published its final recommendations on the taxonomy for sustainable finance, establishing common criteria to classify environmentally sustainable activities that support the transition to a low-carbon economy. Fresh from discussing the topic at the Responsible Investor Europe Conference in London, Julie Moret, Head of ESG at Franklin Templeton, offers some immediate feedback on the usability and implications for investors

An Integrated Approach to Managing ESG Risks and Opportunities
Equity

An Integrated Approach to Managing ESG Risks and Opportunities

Information, data and research are the fuel for investment decisions. Over the years, as new information has emerged and evolved, investors have found innovative means to harness new insights to help inform their decisions. Today, some forward-looking investors are deepening their focus on environmental, social and governance (ESG) analysis to provide additional perspectives to complement existing research efforts. Julie Moret, Franklin Templeton’s head of ESG, explains how ESG contributes to an evolved investment evaluation framework and serves as a tool to assess broader holistic risks.