At Swell, the social impact that our holdings make is just as important as their financial performance. In the same way that we make it a priority to share our portfolios’ financial performances, we also like to share the steps our holdings are taking to make the world around them a better place.
Like all forces for change, the work doesn’t happen one time or overnight. It’s a series of small steps and achievements. Here are some of the recent highlights in our holdings’ exciting work for social change:
Parker-Hannifin Corp.
What is Parker Hannifin?
Parker Hannifin specializes in motion and control technologies that are used in industrial, aerospace, and healthcare markets.
What’s new?
Parker Hannifin has announced an exciting new development for spinal cord injury rehabilitation. The new generation of its Indego Therapy devices, which works like an exoskeleton to help in rehabilitation from spinal cord injury, is more customizable than ever and features cutting-edge software so that it can be perfectly fitted to patients.
Gilead
What is Gilead?
Gilead Sciences specializes in antiviral drugs. They make drugs to treat HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis, C, the flu, and more.
What’s new?
Gilead is making strides towards a new treatment for rheumatoid arthritis. The development of new therapies is a long process with many checks and tests. One of these is a successful phase three study. Gilead and Galapagos have announced that they achieved “all primary and key secondary endpoints” (to break that down: it did what its supposed to do) in its first phase three study for Filgotnib, a new treatment for Rheumatoid Arthritis, bringing them one step closer to bringing better treatment to people living with chronic pain.
Merck & Co.
What is Merck & Co?
Merk is a global healthcare company. Vaccines, prescription meds, animal health, consumer care products: you name it, they do it.
What’s new?
Merck has published a new corporate responsibility report (which we as impact investing nerds always love), highlighting their work to “create social, environmental, and economic value for the company and its stakeholders.” A few highlights include: expanding their donation program to reach an additional 100 million more people per year (through 2025), improving access to quality maternal healthcare to end preventable maternal deaths, and moving towards their goal of having 50% of their purchased electricity come from renewable sources by 2025. The future is looking bright at Merck!
For more news about the work each of our holdings is doing, check back soon. There’s always something new to celebrate!
