The PRI is a voluntary framework designed to encourage sustainable investing by incorporating ethical analysis into investment decision-making and ownership practices.

“Franklin Templeton's various investment teams and strategies are very much aligned with the PRI principles,” said Wylie Tollette, senior vice president and director of performance analysis and investment risk (PAIR).

“We reviewed the principles with each of our investment teams and added dedicated ESG [environmental, social and governance] resources to our investment risk team,” Mr Tollette added.

The new members added to the ESG team are Julie Moret, who will be a director of investment risk based in London, and Amanda Byers, who is a senior investment risk analyst based in California.

Ms Moret joined the firm early this year, working previously in investment risk management at MSCI Barra and Aviva Investors. Meanwhile, Ms Byers joined the PAIR group in October last year after working and framing Franklin Templeton’s corporate citizenship initiatives.

They will partner with the company’s other investment teams to support the integration of ESG considerations into the investment process.

“For a number of years, we have been working closely with our local clients to communicate our approach to ESG, but becoming a signatory to the PRI and building a team of dedicated resources are important milestones,” said Maria Wilton, managing director of Franklin Templeton Investments Australia.