Won Me

In the beginning, when Henry Kravis and George Roberts launched Kohlberg, Kravis, Roberts & Co (KKR) in the seventies with some help from the First Chicago Corporation, the firm’s specialization was in bootstrap buyouts. But recently they have put together an innovative green enterprise that concentrates not alone on maximized profit margins, but likewise on the ecological impact of the companies they acquire.

When Henry Kravis from KKR and the independent Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) joined forces a year ago environmental issues in the business community became a hot topic. Pivotal matters like global warming and unrestrained consumption of water resources are a priority in their corporate mission.

Eco-efficiency (the phrase was originally coined by the WBCSD) is the routine employed to achieve these objectives, employing ecologically aware techniques like using clean energy, reducing the waste of resources and maximum use of renewable resources. Even though the project was a tremendous success, staff just did not understand how important the consequences really were until Ken Mehlman, the head of the project and global public affairs, examined the first year’s profits.

Much to everybody’s surprise, Ken learned that this program not only reduced environmental impact, but also increased the the profit from every last business as well. At the time of writing, KKR and Ken Mehlman have succeeded in getting virtually every associated organization taking part in eco-efficiency techniques. If you think about the fact that the group has a net worth of 86 billion dollars, you can see what a challenge this really is. The Green Portfolio project has evolved beyond its primary remit and nowadays encompasses new enterprises. For instance, Kohlberg, Kravis, Roberts & Co joined the EDF’s Climate Corps Program a venture that teaches MBA students how to design and introduce financially sound, green principles.

Furthermore, Ken Mehlman has been in close collaboration with Kohlberg, Kravis, Roberts & Co to develop metrics which firms can utilize to quantify and manage resources. These metrics can track a company’s progress and discover any problem areas.

Henry Kravis, the KKC, and the Environmental Defense Fund have encouraged all sorts of businesses to go green. These innovations have set a high standard for firms in any industry and established that running a profitable business need not entail the hefty price of damaging the environment.