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Kohlberg, Kravis, Roberts & Co (KKR) was established by Henry Kravis and George Roberts in the mid 70’s with the assistance of the First Chicago Corporation. However, they have assembled a unique venture that centers not only on how profitable an enterprise is, but also on the ecological impact of the companies they invest in.

When Henry Kravis from KKR and the independent Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) merged just a year ago green matters went mainstream. Issues like hazardous chemicals and outrageous water consumption are an important part of their company mission.

Eco-efficiency (the term was originally promoted by the WBCSD) is the routine used to achieve these goals, through utilizing techniques such as using clean energy, fuel economy and reducing the dispersion of toxic chemicals. Irrespective of the fact that the project was a tremendous success, no-one recognized how significant the consequences actually were until Ken Mehlman, the head of the project and global public affairs, finished the first annual review.

Factually surpassing everyone’s expectations, Ken saw that this program not only reduced ecological impact, but also increased the profits from every company as well. Virtually all of the companies owned by KKR and Ken Mehlman now practice eco-efficiency. And, with a current portfolio worth 86,000,000,000 dollars, you can be certain this wasn’t a simple see what a tremendous feat this is. The initial project has grown beyond its primary remit and currently encompasses new opportunities. The Climate Corps Program administered by the EDF is one of these projects, it advances eco-efficient principles to MBA interns. KKR and Ken Mehlman have taken the time to formulate metrics and other relevant systems which manage various resources. Products such as these allow staff see how ecologically friendly they are and identify any problem areas.

Today’s business community has been altogether transformed by the ground breaking efforts of Henry Kravis, the KKC, and the Environmental Defense Fund. These innovations have set a high standard for business organizations in any industry and illustrated that making profits need not entail the hefty price of damaging the environment.