Rotunda Capital Partners
At a Glance
Industry
Financial Services and Insurance
Project Type
Sustainability and Energy Management Strategy
Year
2022
Location
Bethesda, MD
Summary
Julia Wilson helped Rotunda Capital Partners (“Rotunda”) develop an ESG strategy and roadmap to formally integrate ESG initiatives throughout its investment process. In addition, Julia helped to iterate on a formal ESG policy.
Goals
Rotunda is seeking to formalize its ESG strategy to reduce risk and drive value across its portfolio. Rotunda enlisted EDF Climate Corps fellow Julia Wilson to develop a framework to integrate ESG initiatives throughout the entire investment process to help build long-term, sustainable growth strategies for its portfolio companies.
Solutions
To drive Rotunda’s ESG initiative, Julia Wilson focused on the following efforts:
1. Level Set ESG at Rotunda: Facilitated weekly ESG Committee meetings with Rotunda's partners, CFO, operating partners, and deal teams to level set ESG at Rotunda.
2. Initiate Data Collection and Measurement: Developed an ESG survey to document portfolio companies’ current sustainability practices and identify opportunities for other ESG-driven initiatives. Worked with the data & analytics team to develop a standardized bi-annual analysis process that will track metrics over time.
3. Integrate ESG throughout the Investment Process: Strategized with Rotunda’s operating executive on developing a standardized process to include ESG in portfolio company strategy mapping sessions. Worked with ESG Committee to determine how Rotunda will discuss ESG topics at the board level with portfolio companies.
4. Formalize ESG policy: Collaborated with Rotunda’s partners, compliance team, and legal consultants to iterate on their ESG policy and communicate Rotunda’s ESG commitment to its portfolio.
5. Establish Internal ESG Efforts: Designed and distributed Rotunda’s first employee philanthropic survey, initiated Rotunda’s involvement in completing its own ESG survey, and participated in Rotunda’s first women’s affiliate group.
Potential Impact
Facilitating conversations and driving critical decisions around ESG efforts, Julia created alignment and traction across the firm and portfolio. She regularly engaged with key stakeholders within Rotunda including firm partners, VPs, operating partners, compliance team, and the CFO. Gaining their support was critical to continue pushing ESG initiatives forward. Julia’s cumulated efforts will provide Rotunda with a strong framework that will guide their future ESG initiatives.