A Message from CEO Jenny Johnson

Jenny Johnson
President & CEO
Franklin Templeton

To our valued clients,

In recent weeks we’ve witnessed incredibly tragic events in the U.S., placing a spotlight on the issues of discrimination, racism and inequality. With protests across the country and the world, we are sharply reminded of the pain and suffering that not only African Americans, but ethnic minorities globally have been experiencing for far too long. Franklin Templeton stands firmly against racism and recognizes there is much more work to be done to address the issue.

Our firm has a long history of cultivating an inclusive workplace. With employees living and working in over 30 countries, we continue to work on championing diversity and inclusion to benefit our employees and our company, our partners and our clients. We believe diversity of thought strengthens our critical thinking, diversity of perspective helps us innovate, and a diverse and inclusive culture helps us attract and retain top talent around the globe.

As part of our ongoing commitment to foster a culture of diversity and inclusion, we’ve undertaken many efforts over the past several years – and those efforts have continued to evolve and gain momentum. We wanted to share just a few of the initiatives we believe will contribute to the long-term success of our employees, our firm, our clients and importantly the societies in which we live and work.

• One of my first actions when I took the helm in February was to again sign on to the CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) pledge, reinforcing our initial 2017 commitment.

• Our Employee-Led Business Resource Groups (BRGs), launched in 2015, support the firm’s efforts to increase understanding of diversity and inclusion and how it impacts the way we work and live, while providing opportunities to network, impact business results and volunteer in the community. These BRGs continue to grow and thrive. Already in flight prior to recent events, we launched a new Inclusion Education Series, a resource for all employees to learn more about these important topics and the colleagues they work with.

• On May 12, 2020, we announced to our employees the appointment of Regina Curry, currently Chief Diversity Officer at Legg Mason. Effective at the close of the deal, this new role for the combined company will further bolster our existing diversity and inclusion resources and efforts.

• Franklin Templeton is an active voice in trying to improve diversity across the industry, including our membership in the CFA Institute’s Diversity & Inclusion Experimental Partners Program, through which over 40 participating firms are responding to the challenge to make the investment industry more inclusive

Our corporate values (put clients first, build relationships, achieve quality results and work with integrity) have guided Franklin Templeton over its 70-year history and will continue to drive our decisions and actions in the years to come. And we believe cultivating a culture that’s inclusive of all people goes hand-in-hand with our commitment to delivering investment excellence and superior client services.

Thank you for your continued support.

Sincerely,

Jenny Johnson
President and Chief Executive Officer