Ken Mehlman of Kohlberg, Kravis, Roberts & Co. , the Environmental Defense Fund and the Evolution of Environmentally Aware Business
When Henry Kravis and George Roberts founded Kohlberg, Kravis, Roberts & Co (KKR) in 1976 with help from the First Chicago Corporation, their main business was in highly leveraged transactions. Moving on, in a drive to make the companies in their portfolio greener, KKR have launched a remarkable venture which has dramatically changed the method by which business concerns and environmental groups function. Green business processes became major topic of dicussion a year ago when KKR’s Henry Kravis and the independent Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) got together. Their objectives include encouraging their affiliated firms in fighting against environmental threats e.g. toxic waste as well as inflated water consumption. To accomplish these goals, they employ eco-efficiency which makes use of concepts like waste reduction, reducing the waste of resources, and reducing the dispersion of toxic chemicals. Simple and effective, but the management didn’t even understand the full advantages of the program until Ken Mehlman, the head of the program and global public affairs, evaluated the program following its first year in operation.
As if to outmatch everyone’s expectations, Ken discovered that this program not only served in preserving the environment, but was increasing the profitability of all their companies too. Nearly all of the commercial concerns linked with KKR and Ken Mehlman nowadays apply eco-efficiency. Seeing that the total portfolio is valued at $86,000,000,000, you can be certain that this was not a simple feat. The Green Portfolio project has developed beyond its initial remit and at present includes new opportunities. To illustrate, KKR linked up with the EDF’s Climate Corps Program a venture which instructs MBA students how to introduce financially shrewd, earth friendly techniques.
Recently, Ken Mehlman has been working closely with KKR to formulate metrics that companies can employ to evaluate and manipulate a wide range of resources. This type of data is critical as companies may easily analyze their day-to-day activities and ascertain where they can improve while at the same time letting staff to find out how environmentally friendly they are. Henry Kravis, the KKR, and the Environmental Defense Fund are true visionaries in the business community. These innovations have set a benchmark for firms in every sector and illustrated that running a profitable business need not entail the hefty price of damaging the environment.
