Climate action
One of the first projects the EQT Sustainability Team and Ambassadors set out to explore in 2015 was the climate impact of EQT Group’s own operations. Since then, EQT has continuously stepped up its sustainability ambitions.
EQT became one of the first private equity firms to sign up for the Science Based Targets initiative in late 2020. This initiative drives climate action by helping companies set greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets in line with the Paris Agreement.
EQT is currently establishing its baseline and assessing targets in alignment with the recently-published guidelines for financial institutions. To achieve the reduction goals, which will also cover the EQT funds’ portfolio companies, EQT is teaming up with the EQT Foundation which has climate technology as one of its key investment themes. Together, EQT is aiming to create an ecosystem around key climate challenges and share best practices to help climate technology founders scale their solutions and impact.
In addition to measuring and trying to reduce its own emissions, EQT also offset all emissions that cannot be avoided. With entrepreneurial being a core value, EQT is constantly searching for innovative carbon offset solutions.
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Purpose
EQT recognizes that Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) have a positive impact on both EQT’s investors, employees and society. Fostering an environment that not only respects, but also values difference is not a ‘nice to have’, it is a ‘must have’. Diversity in experiences, knowledge and perception is crucial for our decision making ability and our business success. EQT firmly believes that we, in our role as an investor, have a duty to be socially conscious and to use our platform to take affirmative action for a more equitable and meritocratic tomorrow.
Journey
Over the last couple of years, EQT has made important progress in gender equality within EQT’s Advisory teams. EQT has made gender diversity a top priority, and since the inception of EQT’s Women’s International Network (“EQT WIN”), this progress has been greatly accelerated. By mitigating long existing barriers and biases within the industry, we make EQT a more inclusive environment for women. As a result, we have seen the number of women Advisory Professionals nearly double in the last three years. Much of this progression has been a result of hiring within the Junior Advisory team, where women constitute 40 percent of the team as of 2021.
EQT’s efforts in DE&I continues to evolve and we aspire to increase all aspects of diversity at EQT, including any and all misrepresented and underrepresented groups, for the benefit of our business success.
We are committed to increasing representation at every level across our organization and within EQT’s portfolio companies. For us this means;
- Doubling down on data for better informed strategy
- Broadening and challenging traditional recruitment frameworks
- Intensifying our efforts in cultivating an inclusive environment
EQT has learnt that goals acknowledging the fluidity of diversity and intrinsic differences in the markets we operate yields far better success for us than blanket targets. EQT will continue to evaluate our culture and practices and be deliberate in the action we take to become a more inclusive employer. and help the industry to become more equitable.
External partnerships
Knowing there is much to learn and being early on in our DE&I journey we seek to form external partnerships and leverage support networks to aid and complement our intersectional approach. More