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Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG)

Investors are integrating ESG into their investment process to help secure capital during fundraising, identify risks during due diligence, capitalize on opportunities post-acquisition, and facilitate information disclosure in exit.

ESG Considerations for Private Equity

Create Value with the Right ESG Strategy

Secure Capital, Minimize Risk, and Enhance Reputation

We can help implement an ESG strategy that will bolster the investment process, create short- and long-term value across the portfolio, and strengthen the firm’s reputation.

We have the expertise and experience to assist clients integrate ESG in ways that make the most sense for the firm and its portfolio companies. We review risks and opportunities that could have direct financial, operational, and reputational impacts on active or prospective investments. We then help manage these risks and capitalize on opportunities by implementing initiatives and providing value-added services to firms and their portfolio companies.

From fundraising through exit, we can help your firm implement ESG throughout the investment cycle.

Talk to us about ESG

ESG Management throughout the Investment Cycle

Fundraising

ESG policy and implementation frameworks: - Satisfy investors' ESG expectations - Enhance relationships with new and existing investors - Secure access to funding - Create a competitive advantage

Questions during Fundraising

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Due Diligence

Conduct an ESG review to: - Eliminate deal-issue threats - Highlight deficient standards - Pinpoint key ESG opportunities for improvement - Highlight customers' sustainability expectations - Analyze changing consumer expectations - Evaluate industry-level trends - Identify regulatory liability

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Ownership

Implement ESG initiatives to: - Increase ROI - Minimize risk - Reduce expenses - Improve employee retention - Avoid business disruption - Reduce regulatory liability - Meet customers' sustainability expectations - Increase market share - Satisfy investors' expectations - Enhance firm and portfolio company reputation

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Exit

Communicating ESG accomplishments can help: - Highlight growth opportunities - Increase brand value - Establish competitive advantage - Meet public investors' expectations

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Strategic ESG Consulting Services

Firm-Level Strategy

We help define internal priorities and effectively incorporate ESG into the investment process by:

Clarifying an internal ESG vision, mission statement, and priorities;
Identifying investors’ motivations and expectations during fundraising;
Creating an ESG policy and implementation framework;
Constructing a customized ESG action plan to fit present and future goals;
Defining ESG Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to measure the ESG performance across the portfolio;
Developing industry trend reviews and risk assessments; and
Providing tailored ESG training.

Investment Analysis

We help enhance the investment process by investigating a variety of ESG issues within active and prospective investments. We review the following areas, among others:

Environmental

Biodiversity Impacts
Emissions & Air Quality
Energy Consumption
Environmental Compliance
Extreme Weather Events & Vulnerability Analysis
Fuel Efficiency
Waste Management
Water Quality
Water Rights & Availability

Social

Community Engagement
Conflict Minerals
Employee Engagement & Retention
Fair Disclosure & Marketing
Health & Safety
Human Rights
Internal Labor Relations
Product Stewardship

Governance

Anti-Bribery & Anti-Corruption
Anti-Sexual Harassment & Anti-Bullying
Board Composition & Diversity
Business Ethics & Transparency
Business Interruption
Consumer and Enterprise Customer Expectations
Supply Chain

How 2020 events will impact the 2021 environmental, social and governance (ESG) trends in the U.S.
- Carl Spevacek
- |
- US
With the numerous trends to monitor to reduce corporate risk, improve business strategy, and reveal untapped opportunities, it can be difficult to sort through what’s important to focus on. RPS has highlighted the top trends that unfolded at the beginning of 2020 and reviews how these trends will shape 2021.

Read article
ESG: Translating purpose into plans, actions and accountabilities
- Carl Spevacek
- |
- North America
CEOs from the largest US corporations redefine sustainability purpose to benefit all Americans

But what does this mean for big, or small, business?

Read article
Disrupting the blue ocean: impact investment and ESG
- Matt Farnsworth
- |
- UK
Article originally published in Real Deals magazine May 2020.

Matt Farnsworth, Technical Director, talks ESG and impact investment and adding value through sustainable business innovation.

Read article