Towards A Healthy Economy + Marketing World

Kohlberg, Kravis, Roberts & Co (KKR) was established by Henry Kravis and his partner George Roberts in the mid 70’s with some assistance from the First Chicago Corporation. Recently they have assembled a unique green project which focuses not merely on maximizing ROI, but additionally on the environmental impact of the companies they invest in.

When Henry Kravis from KKR and the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) got together last year environmental matters went mainstream. Significant issues like global warming and colossal consumption of water resources are an all-important part of their company mission statement.

Eco-efficiency (a phrase originally coined by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development) constitutes their mission’s framework, by employing green techniques such as increasing the durability of products, reducing the waste of resources and reducing the dispersion of toxic chemicals. Impressive though it was the KKR and EDF did not realize the range of the benefits of the program until Ken Mehlman, the head of the Green Portfolio Project and global public affairs, evaluated the program when it had been functioning for a year. Ken who practiced environmental law for Akin Gump Stauss Hauer & Feld from 1991 to 1996, has also served as Chief of Staff for Texas 12th Congressional District Representative Kay Granger, became Managing Director and Head of Global Public Affairs at Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co, LLP in 2008, is also a trustee of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and the Strong American Schools Foundation and currently serves as a member of the Senior Advisory Committee of the Harvard University Institute of Politics, the Council on Foreign Relations Climate Change Task Force, and the board of directors at the National Endowment for Democracy, found out that eco-efficiency wasn’t just helping the local environment, but additionally it was helping to save a diverse range of companies a great deal of money. Currently, KKR and Ken Mehlman have managed to get nearly every associated company involved in the Green Portfolio Project. When you look at the fact that the whole portfolio has a net worth of nearly $100 billion dollars, you can imagine what an accomplishment this actually was.

The original project has grown beyond its original remit and currently encompasses new ventures. For example, KKR got together with the Environmental Defense Fund’s Climate Corps Program an enterprise that teaches MBA interns how to promote cost-efficient, earth friendly techniques. KKR and Ken Mehlman have taken the time to develop products that quantify and manage various resources. This type of info is important as businesses can evaluate their day-to-day procedures and find out exactly how they can resolve any issues while at the same time permitting staff to see their impact on the planet.

Henry Kravis, the KKC, and the Environmental Defense Fund have made reducing their ecological impact easier for companies all over the world. These developments have simplified the process for organizations in every sector and proved that making profits need not entail the hefty price of negatively impacting our planet.