Israel’s Ministry of Labor Names Pluri as Winner of the 2022 Egalitarian Employment Award for its Commitment to Gender Diversity and Pay Equity

Chen Franco-Yehuda

Efrat Livne-Hadass

HAIFA, Israel, March 13, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Pluri Inc. (Nasdaq: PLUR) (TASE: PLUR) (“Pluri” or the “Company”) (formerly known as Pluristem Therapeutics, Inc.), a leading biotechnology company, announced today that Israel’s Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs and Social Services has selected Pluri as the winner of the 2022 Egalitarian Employment Award in the Large Company category. Pluri was selected for this highly prestigious honor for the second time in a row in recognition of its achievements in diversity, pay equity, and the promotion of women in its workforce. Pluri’s Chief Executive Officer and President, Yaky Yanay, will accept the award from Nir Barkat, Israel’s Minister of Economy and Industry, at a ceremony today in Jerusalem. The Company will also receive a government grant of 40,000 NIS along with the prize.

Chief Financial Officer Chen Franco-Yehuda and Vice President of Human Resources Efrat Livne-Hadass issued the following letter to employees and stakeholders following the announcement:

“Dear stakeholders,

Israel’s first female Prime Minister, Golda Meir, said, “To be successful, a woman has to be much better at her job than a man.” Sadly, this is still the case in our world today. For far too long, far too few women have occupied senior roles.

The gender gap creates enormous costs. Women’s dreams and professional aspirations have been deferred and denied. Half of the available talent pool has been overlooked by our most dynamic companies, which leads to fewer scientific advancements, less medical breakthroughs, and lower profits. The biotechnology industry, like many others, has not yet done its part to push forward a more equal society.

We are proud that Pluri has been an exception to the rule when it comes to this gender gap. Female employees represent an equal part of our company’s total workforce, including senior management and executive level positions.

Pluri focuses on various aspects of female employment and empowerment; promotion, flexibility, a healthy work-family balance and the encouragement of inclusion and self-appreciation. We also have a robust compensation policy in place to ensure gender pay equity.

In recognition of our work, Israel’s Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs and Social Services has selected Pluri as the winner of the 2022 Egalitarian Employment Award in the Large Company category.

We are honored and proud to be part of a company and management team where employees are chosen and promoted based on their qualifications, not their gender. As senior executives at Pluri, every day we see the tremendous business benefit of being part of a C-Suite where more than half of our fellow leaders are also women. We hope that Pluri’s example can inspire others to recognize the business and societal benefits to advancing gender equality in their companies – and show women interested in this field that there is a path for them, as shared with the hundreds of high schoolers and students with an interest in biotechnology who come to tour our offices every year.

This month, we celebrate International Women’s Day with the understanding that every day can – and should – be rooted in the values of a more equal workplace. We believe this award will bring hope to future generations all around the world, setting an example for young women and showing them that they have the power to make their dreams come true. All of us – men and women – have a responsibility to ensure that women recognize that the sky is the limit of their potential.

Sincerely,

About Pluri Inc.

Pluri is pushing the boundaries of science and engineering to create cell-based products for commercial use and is pioneering a biotech revolution that promotes global wellbeing and sustainability. The Company’s technology platform, a patented and validated state-of-the-art 3D cell expansion system, advances novel cell-based solutions for a range of initiatives— from medicine and climate change to food scarcity, animal cruelty and beyond. Pluri’s method is uniquely accurate, scalable, cost-effective, and consistent from batch to batch. Pluri currently operates in the field of regenerative medicine, food-tech and biologics and aims to establish partnerships that leverage the Company’s 3D cell-based technology to additional industries that require effective, mass cell production. To learn more, visit us at www.pluri-biotech.com or follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains express or implied forward-looking statements within the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other U.S. Federal securities laws. For example, Pluri is using forward-looking statements when it discusses its belief that it has been an exception to the rule when it comes to this gender gap. These forward-looking statements and their implications are based on the current expectations of the management of Pluri only and are subject to a number of factors and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. The following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements about Pluri: changes in technology and market requirements; Pluri may encounter delays or obstacles in launching and/or successfully completing its clinical trials, if necessary; its products may not be approved by regulatory agencies, its technology may not be validated as it progresses further and its methods may not be accepted by the scientific community; it may be unable to retain or attract key employees whose knowledge is essential to the development of its products; unforeseen scientific difficulties may develop with its processes; its products may wind up being more expensive than it anticipates; results in the laboratory may not translate to equally good results in real clinical settings; its patents may not be sufficient; its products may harm recipients or consumers; changes in legislation with an adverse impact; inability to timely develop and introduce new technologies, products and applications; loss of market share and pressure on pricing resulting from competition, which could cause the actual results or performance of Pluri to differ materially from those contemplated in such forward-looking statements. Except as otherwise required by law, Pluri undertakes no obligation to publicly release any revisions to these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. For a more detailed description of the risks and uncertainties affecting Pluri reference is made to Pluri’s reports filed from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Contacts

Investors: investor.relations@pluri-biotech.com 

U.S. Media: Meira Feinman at meira@miller-ink.com / Ryan McCrimmon at ryan.mccrimmon@miller-ink.com

Israel Media: Shachar Yental at shacharye@gitam.co.il 

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at

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