Private Equity Interest in EDF Climate Corps at All-Time High

EDF Staff | July 25, 2014

By: Michael Reading

Summer at EDF is always an exciting time as EDF Climate Corps fellows fan out and begin their placements at organizations across the country. This year we're thrilled to see a dozen fellows working with private equity firms and their portfolio companies, the highest number of such placements in a single summer. In total, EDF has now placed 44 EDF Climate Corps fellows in the private equity sector to date.

2012 fellow Sarah Stern presents her work to CD&R's Daniel Jacobs, left, and Thomas Franco, right

Managing investment dollars equivalent to roughly 8 percent of U.S. GDP, the private equity sector is critical to sharing, replicating and advancing corporate environmental best practices, so it's gratifying to see the level of activity continue to build. New hosts this year include portfolio companies Associated Materials, Avaya, Floor & Décor, Philadelphia Energy Solutions and Taylor Morrison. Private equity firms KKR and Warburg Pincus are also hosting fellows this year, as they have previously.

Since EDF and KKR first partnered in 2008 to launch the Green Portfolio program, KKR’s portfolio companies have achieved more than $900 million in financial impacts while avoiding 1.8 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions, 4.7 million tons of waste and 19.5 million cubic meters of water use. Out of this work, EDF developed and made available to companies a free tool for identifying and managing environment, social and governance (ESG) issues.

As to Warburg Pincus, for the second year in a row they are sponsoring an EDF Fellow to work with several portfolio companies during the summer on energy efficiency and sustainability projects.

Watch this space later this summer for updates on this year's EDF Climate Corps fellows as they find ways to save money and reduce emissions by cutting energy waste, making the case that what is good for our planet is good for business. Their success is the best evidence of the strategic shift among investors, who increasingly recognize ESG management as a powerful tool for improving investment practices and creating value for both companies and the environment.

Also of interest: Private Equity Firms Realize the Value of Participating in EDF Climate Corps