Something You Positively Have to Get a Hold on: Ken Mehlman of Kohlberg, Kravis, Roberts & Co
Initially, when Henry Kravis and his business partner George Roberts launched Kohlberg, Kravis, Roberts & Co (KKR) in the 1970’s with the support of the First Chicago Corporation, the company’s specialty was in “bootstrap” buyouts. Moving further, hoping to make the companies they take over more ecologically aware, KKR have set up a novel proposal which has fundamentally changed the method by which businesses and environmental agencies function. KKR’s Henry Kravis and the independent Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) got together a year ago, with the intention of making environmentally sound business practice an accepted principle. Serious matters like toxic emissions and intemperate water consumption feature high on their list of objectives.
Eco-efficiency (a term initially coined by the WBCSD) denotes the framework for their mission, utilizing techniques such as fuel economy, waste reduction and reducing the intensity of materials. Although the project was an enormous success, staff simply didn’t understand how far-reaching the consequences truly were until Ken Mehlman, the head of the Green Portfolio Project and global public affairs, finished the first annual review.
Ken found that practicing eco-efficiency was not simply preserving the environment, but in addition it was saving a diverse range of companies a considerable amount of money. At the time of writing, KKR and Ken Mehlman have virtually every firm in their portfolio actively participating in eco-efficiency techniques. Seeing that this group of business organizations is valued at nearly $100 billion dollars, you can be sure this was not a simple achievement.
The original Green Portfolio project has evolved far beyond its initial purpose and these days encompasses new ventures. For instance, Kohlberg, Kravis, Roberts & Co linked up with the EDF’s Climate Corps Program a venture that instructs MBA interns how to put together and initiate cost-effective, ecologically friendly principles. KKR and Ken Mehlman have been creating systems that manipulate resources. This type of info is critical as companies can evaluate all of their day to day processes and discover where they can improve while simultaneously tracking their progress.
Henry Kravis, the KKR, and the Environmental Defense Fund are visionaries in the world of green business. Their developments have simplified the process for companies in any sector and illustrated that running a profitable business need not entail the hefty price of negatively impacting our planet.
