Sustainability
CEO Statement
The recent financial crisis has put into question the value we
create as investors. We as an industry need to explain why we are a
socially valuable entity. It is a question asked by politicians of
all persuasions and countries. It is a question posed by media and
the public at large, and it is a question asked increasingly by LPs
who subscribe to the concepts of social and sustainable
investing.
We believe that Apax needs to be a leader in sustainable
investing. We have been able to formulate and then substantiate the
value we create in terms of social and sustainable investing and
therewith gain the social license to operate. The key insight is
that it will be the firms that are most conscious of this
responsibility that will deliver the best economic returns. Not
only because they will be the better run firms but more importantly
because, done right, it is hard-nosed business to disaggregete the
value chain of a business and to look for efficiency, the reduction
of transportation, waste and pollution costs, and to look for the
optimal use of human resources and knowledge. Economic returns are
not a contradiction to social and sustainable investing; it is the
way leading firms will deliver value.
Martin Halusa, CEO
Sustainability in the Apax Portfolio and Offices