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JLens is Hiring! Updates on Merck, PNC Bank, Tesla, Lowes
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November 2021 Update

1. JLens Advocacy Win on COVID at Merck

JLens and other investor advocates achieved a win last week with Merck, as the company announced that it would license its promising Covid-19 treatment royalty-free to Medicines Patent Pool, an organization that aims to make medical technologies globally accessible. The agreement allows the drug to be manufactured and sold inexpensively in 105 developing nations. Merck has reported that the drug halved the rate of hospitalizations and deaths in high-risk patients when taken soon after a Covid-19 infection. 

A month ago, JLens staff met with six of Merck’s senior Corporate Social Responsibility executives and advocated for the company to share its Covid-19 treatment with poor countries. JLens' advocacy relationship with Merck began in 2017 in dialogue with the CEO after the company received an anti-Israel shareholder proposal due to the company's operations in Israel. That proposal was defeated. 

JLens commends Merck for taking this leadership step and we hope other companies follow in their footsteps. To learn more about JLens longstanding advocacy efforts with Merck and other pharmaceutical companies, and our Jewish approach to vaccine access advocacy, read the opinion piece by JLens' Dani Nurick and Rabbi Siegel in eJewish Philanthropy
 

2. We’re Hiring! Job Opening and Internship Opportunities
JLens is hiring a Communications and Development Director in the NY area (other locations will be considered as the position is primarily remote). For more information, please see the job description here.
 

JLens is seeking interns who are curious about the intersection of Jewish values, socially responsible investing, and corporate social responsibility. For details on internship opportunities, click here
 

3. JLens' Donors Convene at NYC Event 
At a recent donor convening in NYC hosted by Natan, JLens’ CEO Julie Hammerman discussed the tremendous opportunity the values-based investing movement offers the Jewish community to further Jewish values and engage younger generations, as well as growing concerns related to antisemetism and Israel delegitimization/BDS activity in the field.

We are very grateful for our donors' generosity. JLens' donors support 90% of JLens' operating budget and enable us to represent Jewish values and Jewish communal concerns in this influential global arena. To donate to JLens, please click here (or email us for other ways to donate). Thank you!
 

4. Recent Investor Advocacy Meetings 
JLens engages in ongoing dialogue with the 300 companies in JLens' Jewish Advocacy Strategy to advocate on Jewish communal concerns. Summaries of a few recent meetings are shared below: 

Tesla (JLens Jewish values score: 67/100): In our September meeting with Tesla, JLens encouraged the company to publicize their goals for gender and racial diversity on the board and management in their next ESG report. Tesla assesses pay equality for gender, race, and ethnicity on a biannual basis, and JLens urged the company to make this public as well. The company is excited to have recently opened its first store in Israel along with a network of superchargers; JLens encouraged the company to continue to expand this business relationship. 

PNC Bank (JLens Jewish values score: 78/100): We were pleased that after JLens’ previous advocacy with the company on religious coexistence, PNC started an interfaith business resource group. JLens’ October meeting with PNC explored the company's recent $1.5 billion commitment to work toward ending systemic racism, and its support of early childhood education and eradication of food deserts. JLens’ meeting also focused on the company’s environmental footprint, including PNC’s robust due diligence process for heavy emitters and the company’s plan to not take on new coal clients. JLens encouraged the company to continue to develop its new sustainable finance program. 

Lowe’s (JLens Jewish values score: 63/100): JLens met with Lowe’s, the home improvement retailer, in October and urged the company to ensure their religious coexistence policies, including flexible dress, are communicated to employees. JLens encouraged the company to improve their diversity and equity practices. Lowe’s is committed to sustainability and continues to expand their sustainable product portfolio and educate customers on these products. The company is also committed to reducing waste and is working on developing new strategies to recycle and reuse products, including composting organic material in unused and returned plant products. 

 
JLens' mission is to increase Jewish leadership and representation in the influential responsible investing and business movements. This email is for educational purposes only and should not be viewed as investment advice.
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