Archive for January 16th, 2010
The Story of Kohlberg, Kravis, Roberts & Co and the Environmental Defense Fund

When Henry Kravis and his business partner George Roberts established Kohlberg, Kravis, Roberts & Co (KKR) in the mid-seventies with the help of the First Chicago Corporation, their specialization was in bootstrap buyouts. Moving on, in a drive to make their acquisitions more environmentally friendly and more profitable as well, they have set in motion an extraordinary green project that has dramatically transformed the method by which business concerns and environmental activists carry on their everyday business. Environmentally sound business processes became major topic last year when KKR’s Henry Kravis and the independent Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) merged. These companies was forged to help resolve crucial issues hurting the environment, which include global warming, hazardous waste, extravagant water consumption, and resource depletion. Eco-efficiency (a phrase initially introduced by the WBCSD) is the methodology leveraged to achieve these aims, through employing techniques such as maximum use of renewable resources, reducing the intensity of materials and increasing the durability of products. The Green Portfolio Project was successful, nevertheless the KKR and EDF did not even realize the totality of the program’s benefits until the head of the program and global public affairs, Ken Mehlman, assessed the program after a full year in operation. Outdoing all expectations, Ken found that this program not only helped in preserving the local environment, but was increasing the profits from all their businesses besides. To date, KKR and Ken Mehlman have almost every associated business organization taking part in the program. If you consider that this group of business concerns is valued at almost $100 billion USD, you may be sure that this was no easy feat.

The Green Portfolio project has evolved beyond its initial remit and now includes new ventures. The Climate Corps Program set up by the Environmental Defense Fund is an example of this, it advances cost efficient, earth friendly techniques to students studying for an MBA.

In recent months, Ken Mehlman has been in close collaboration with Kohlberg, Kravis, Roberts & Co to formulate metrics and other related products which companies can utilize to evaluate resources. These tools let management to measure their progress and identify any underlying issues. Henry Kravis, the KKC, and the Environmental Defense Fund have made going green easier for business organizations in every sector. In summary, the work of these organizations has made green business practice not only viable, but commercially desirable, and their revolutionary ideas are setting a new standard in today’s business community.

Volunteer Work and the Company

Volunteering; coming together as a community, and assisting your local needy. Finding the room for this kind of event can be a mite time consumung in its own right, and before you know it you don’t have as long at your disposal to actually do some good. Obviously, when volunteering becomes a team effort with friends from work, it will be far more fun. This is a call for other companies to take a cue from firms like Adaptive Marketing LLC. In addition to programs including 24Protect Plus (MVQ*TWENTY4PROPLUS) created to benefit consumers, Adaptive Marketing handles the organizational necessities to give its employees the time to give back to the local community. Company-supported volunteer activity is more than blood drives and annual charitable giving. For example, Adaptive Marketing has offered staff opportunities to help with anything from running shoe recycling efforts to local tree replanting weekends. In cases like these, the dates, times and locations that had been arranged were announced, making sure that staff knew what to expect, and how much of a time commitment was required specifically.

Of course, it’s important to let volunteers support projects in line with their own preferences. Members of staff from Adaptive Marketing choose from among a great many volunteer drives. Prior projects have seen improvements made in a wide variety of areas including help and support for children and young adults, environmental awareness activities, and events supporting artists. In many cases, the more they enjoy it, the more productive they are, and as a result by offering so many initiatives Adaptive Marketing can be certain that progress will be made in as many projects as possible. When firms urge their workforce to think about volunteering at homeless shelters, it is commonly for a single event or a regular, ongoing undertaking. Members of staff may well say they have no time to give, though it would be rather surprising if they genuinely cannot free up enough resources to help at one instalment of a more involved project. You’ll find plenty of examples of organizations supporting the citizens of their hometown. A sense of community goodwill builds from the volunteer work done by Adaptive Marketing’s members of staff over the course of these programs. Another aspect is, the benefits of volunteer work include the knowledge that you’ve done something good - an upbeat feeling that enriches the entire corporate culture. By now, we think, the rewards for everyone involved of a company-sponsored volunteer drive are should be perfectly clear.