Private Equity firms move into climate impact investments

Climate impact investing is gaining momentum. In our recent European PE Climate Impact Radar, we surveyed Private Equity (PE) firms about their readiness in managing the climate crisis. In this interview, Tobias Hartz explains the thinking behind the study and discusses how PE firms can use climate impact investing to strengthen their USP.

Tobias, what was your motivation for carrying out the study?

I’ve long been convinced that PE can have a positive impact on the transition away from fossil fuels. I also believe it can make a strong contribution to actively tackling climate change – one of the most pressing challenges facing society today. As an advisor to many European PE firms, I see growing momentum toward climate impact investing in the PE industry. This study is a compelling way to gauge the PE sector’s engagement on this crucial issue, which is close to our heart at Simon-Kucher.

PE firms now recognize that managing…