The History of Ken Mehlman of Kohlberg, Kravis, Roberts & Co and the Environmental Defense Fund
When Henry Kravis and George Roberts founded Kohlberg, Kravis, Roberts & Co (KKR) in the seventies with support from the First Chicago Corporation, the firm’s specialty was in highly leveraged transactions. But they have established a unique enterprise which concentrates not alone on profitability, but also on the environmental impact of the companies they acquire. When Henry Kravis from KKR and the non-profit environmental advocacy group Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) got together last year environmental matters in the business world became major discussion topic. Significant environmental matters like hazardous chemicals and intemperate consumption of water resources rank high on their list of objectives.
Eco-efficiency (the phrase was first coined by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development WBCSD) is the methodology employed to achieve these objectives, employing policies like reducing the intensity of materials, improving fuel economy through vehicle fleet maintenance and reducing the dispersion of toxic chemicals. Even though the project was an enormous success, no-one recognized how significant the effects were until Ken Mehlman, the head of the Green Portfolio Project and global public affairs, reviewed the first year’s profits. Beating all expectations, Ken saw that this program not only raised environmental awareness, but was also increasing the the net profit from each business organization as well. Up to now, KKR and Ken Mehlman have almost each and every company in their portfolio actively involved in eco-efficiency. And, with a current portfolio estimated at eighty six billion dollars, you may be certain this wasn’t a simple feat.
KKR and the EDF in association with Ken Mehlman are further extending the original program. To illustrate, Kohlberg, Kravis, Roberts & Co linked up with the Environmental Defense Fund’s Climate Corps Program which teaches interns studying for an MBA how to introduce financially strong, ecologically friendly practices.
KKR and Ken Mehlman have taken the time to formulate a variety of analytic tools and other applicable systems which will be able to measure and manipulate resources. With this information available, companies can assess each of their daily activities and discover precisely how any issues may be resolved while simultaneously allowing staff to discover their impact on the environment. Henry Kravis, the KKC, and the Environmental Defense Fund have encouraged all sorts of businesses to reduce their ecological impact. In conclusion, the work of these organizations has made green business techniques not only viable, but commercially desirable, and their revolutionary ideas are setting a new standard in today’s world.
