A Tip re Henry Kravis of Kohlberg, Kravis, Roberts & Co
03/02/2010 13:00
on: Baker's Dozen
Kohlberg, Kravis, Roberts & Co (KKR) was set up by Henry Kravis and George Roberts in 1976 with the support of the First Chicago Corporation. But they have launched an unusual venture which centers not only on optimized profit margins, but in addition on the environmental impact of the companies they purchase.
When Henry Kravis from KKR and the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) merged a year ago environmental issues all of a sudden turned into a mainstream idea. Their company mission is to offer encouragement to their associated firms to help resolve environmental threats such as climate change and unrestrained consumption of water resources.
To implement these goals, they use eco-efficiency which makes use of practical techniques like fuel economy, recycling programs, and waste reduction. Effective though it was the management did not even understand the full project’s benefits until Ken Mehlman, the man responsible for the Green Portfolio Project, reviewed the figures from the project when it had been up and running for a year. Topping all expectations, Ken saw that the program not only assisted in preserving the local environment, but also increased the profitability of each and every business as well. Well-nigh all of the commercial organizations affiliated to KKR and Ken Mehlman nowadays apply eco-efficiency. If you look at the fact that this portfolio of business concerns has a net worth of 86,000,000,000 dollars, you can imagine what a challenge this really is.
Kohlberg, Kravis, Roberts & Co in association with Ken Mehlman are further extending the initial Green Portfolio project. For example, KKR got together with the Environmental Defense Fund’s Climate Corps Program that teaches MBA interns how to promote cost-effective, earth friendly principles.
Lately, Ken Mehlman has been in close collaboration with Kohlberg, Kravis, Roberts & Co to develop metrics which a range of businesses can utilize to quantify and manage a number of resources. Programs such as these can track a company’s ecological impact and identify any underlying problems. Today’s business community has been entirely transformed by the efforts of Henry Kravis, the KKC, and the Environmental Defense Fund. Their fresh developments have set a benchmark for organizations in any sector and proved that running a profitable business need not entail the hefty price of negatively impacting our planet.
