Franklin Resources Inc.
BEN.US | Fund management activities
Franklin Resources, Inc., operating as Franklin Templeton, is a global investment management firm. The company provides investment management and related services to retail, institutional, and high-net-worth clients in various jurisdictions. Its services include investment strategies across differen...Show More
Better Health for All
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No evidence available to assess Franklin Resources Inc on Better Health for All.
Fair Money & Economic Opportunity
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Franklin Resources Inc. operates as an asset management firm, primarily serving institutional and high-net-worth clients.
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Its business model does not involve direct lending, microloan services, or consumer deposit products.
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Consequently, there are no APRs or fee structures related to consumer credit to evaluate, nor does it generate revenue from high-cost financial products.
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The company is not regulated as a consumer lender, and no specific financial inclusion initiatives related to a loan or insurance book are documented.
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The firm does not provide debt products to consumers.
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Fair Pay & Worker Respect
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A comprehensive search for information on Franklin Resources Inc. regarding fair pay and worker respect found no specific, quantitative data points relevant to the provided KPIs.
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While the company has received external recognition for disability equality (scoring 100 in the Disability Equality Index for five consecutive years)
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and LGBTQ+ workplace equality (perfect score on the Corporate Equality Index for six consecutive years)
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, and has been included in the Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index
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, these are not direct metrics for the specific KPIs in the rubric. The company also reports that women constitute 30% of its Board and 45% of its overall workforce
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but explicitly states it does not conduct formal pay gap analyses.
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No other concrete data on living wage coverage, CEO-median pay ratio, collective bargaining, safety incidents, employee engagement, turnover, labor violations, insecure contracts, or health insurance coverage was found.
Fair Trade & Ethical Sourcing
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As an investment management firm, Franklin Templeton does not procure or trade physical commodities, making several fair trade and ethical sourcing KPIs not applicable. The company integrates ESG criteria into its investment processes
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and advocates for responsible corporate practices
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, but no specific data is provided regarding its own procurement budget directed to diverse suppliers.
Honest & Fair Business
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Franklin Resources faces allegations of fraudulent trade allocation within its subsidiary, Western Asset Management Company, affecting over $600 million in trades
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, which has led to regulatory investigations
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. Several law firms are also investigating the company following these allegations of securities violations
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. The company has a Code of Ethics that emphasizes adherence to anti-corruption policies and compliance with laws such as the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act
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, and a comprehensive Code of Ethics and Business Conduct applicable to all employees, directors, and officers
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. Additionally, 8 of its 11 directors are independent
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.
Kind to Animals
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Franklin Resources Inc. is an investment management firm, and its core business operations do not involve animal testing, animal agriculture, or the production of animal-derived products. Consequently, all KPIs related to direct animal welfare practices, sourcing, or product-related certifications are not applicable. The company's investment in Petco Health and Wellness is an investment decision
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, and its participation in the SASB Investor Advisory Group relates to ESG disclosure standards
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, neither of which constitutes direct animal welfare action or policy engagement by Franklin Resources itself.
No War, No Weapons
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Franklin Resources' portfolios have a 4.11% exposure to military contractors, totaling $12.36 billion across 615 holdings, including 2.93% in nuclear weapons manufacturers.
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The company holds approximately $1.27 billion in Lockheed Martin, a defense systems producer.
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In January 2025, Franklin Resources increased its position in an aerospace and defense sector-focused ETF by 34.8%.
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The company opposed a 2013 shareholder proposal to avoid investments in companies contributing to genocide, choosing to maintain its existing strategies.
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This indicates a lack of a formal divestment policy for conflict-zone exposures and an absence of codified ethical red lines against such investments. Despite adopting the UN Principles for Responsible Investment, its substantial military investments and historical stance suggest an uneven implementation and misalignment with ethical commitments to war and weapons neutrality.
Planet-Friendly Business
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The provided articles offer general information about Franklin Resources' commitment to sustainability, including the release of CSR reports
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and an ESG risk rating
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. While a 57% reduction in emissions since 2007
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and expanded Scope 3 reporting
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are mentioned, no absolute emission figures (tCO₂e) are provided to score against the rubric's quantitative thresholds. A specific project diverted 100% of office furniture from landfills during office upgrades
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, but this is not a company-wide waste diversion rate for all waste streams. No other specific, quantifiable data points for the defined KPIs were found in the articles.
Respect for Cultures & Communities
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Franklin Templeton's publicly available CSR initiatives, including its global volunteering program and diversity & inclusion strategy, do not prominently detail specific actions, policies, or programs directly related to respecting indigenous rights, cultural heritage preservation, or formal engagement with indigenous or local communities. Therefore, no specific evidence is available to score the company against the provided KPIs for 'Respect for Cultures & Communities'.
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Safe & Smart Tech
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The provided article states that Franklin Resources, Inc. is partnering with Microsoft to enhance its financial AI platform
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and has a commitment to responsible AI integration
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. However, this information does not provide specific, concrete data points or actions that can be mapped to any of the defined KPIs in the rubric, such as the maturity of AI ethics governance, investment in cybersecurity, or details on data protection practices. A general commitment to responsible AI is not sufficient evidence to score against the quantitative and action-oriented thresholds of the rubric. Therefore, no KPIs can be scored based on the available evidence.
Zero Waste & Sustainable Products
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The provided articles discuss Franklin Templeton's commitment to environmental sustainability, including a 57% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions since 2007
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and a goal for net-zero emissions by 2050
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. They also mention an Environmental Committee
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and reporting using SASB and GRI frameworks
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. However, this evidence pertains to general carbon reduction and environmental management, which falls outside the scope of 'Zero Waste & Sustainable Products' as defined. No specific, concrete data points or initiatives related to waste diversion, product recyclability, packaging sustainability, waste reduction initiatives, or any other KPIs directly relevant to waste management or sustainable products were found in the articles.