A Hands-On Approach to Creating Value
Once we are invested in a company, we lend our strategic and operational expertise to enable our shared success. This includes direct engagement with management at portfolio companies, where feasible, on a variety of sustainability topics as well as providing access to tools, resources, and a network of experts. We also deploy capital behind high-conviction themes with durable demand, such as energy transition and workforce development, through dedicated investment strategies within our Private Equity and Infrastructure platforms, including Global Impact and Global Climate Transition.
KKR's Cross-portfolio Thematic Areas
Since formalizing our approach to sustainability management in 2008 – grounded in capital preservation and value creation – we have focused on supporting our portfolio companies, real estate assets and operators, and, where relevant, sponsors, to strengthen management of material topics.
Building on nearly two decades of experience, we have identified several thematic areas where we believe we can provide meaningful support to help our portfolio enhance value while mitigating risk. In these areas, KKR has developed dedicated expertise, programs, and resources designed to support performance, available to our investments where applicable and implemented based on materiality and individual company's needs and priorities.
We focus on the sustainability topics that are most material to business performance across our portfolio. These areas reflect common challenges and opportunities where we can add value through hands-on engagement, subject-matter expertise, and curated tools and resources.
Examples of Cross-portfolio Sustainability Resources
Management and Governance
Sustainability Strategy and Issue Prioritization
How to adopt an appropriate governance framework for overseeing material risks and opportunities, supported by board- and executive-level accountability, clear performance metrics, and defined ownership
Human Capital
Employee Engagement and Ownership
How to build high-engagement workplaces that can empower employees to lead and grow, with the goal of promoting stronger alignment with performance and long-term value creation
Workplace Safety
How to manage operational safety risks, strengthen accountability, and promote a culture of safety
These programs are designed to help companies foster an engaged and productive workforce, translate ownership into outcomes, increasing retention, resilience, and shared value.
Climate
Physical Climate Risk
How to assess exposure to physical climate risks, evaluate the adequacy of mitigation measures, and identify opportunities to enhance operational resilience
GHG Emissions Measurement and Decarbonization
How to assess exposure to physical climate risks, evaluate the adequacy of mitigation measures, and identify opportunities to enhance operational resilience
This flexible model allows companies at different stages of climate readiness to effectively manage climate-related risks and opportunities.
Data Responsibility
Cybersecurity and Data Privacy
How to mitigate cybersecurity risks, promote a culture of cybersecurity awareness, and handle personal or sensitive data responsibly
We believe managing data responsibility well is fundamental to long-term business integrity and trust.
Thematic Investing
We believe investing behind key sustainability themes that are transforming businesses and economies can support our commitment to capital protection and value creation. In certain asset classes, we aim to deploy capital behind high-conviction themes with durable demand, such as the energy transition, educational opportunity, and workforce development.
*Includes capital invested in or committed to sustainability-focused investments from 2010 to December 31, 2025 by KKR funds and syndicated co-investments (including Global Atlantic’s sustainability-focused investments from 2015 to December 31, 2025). For purposes of this disclosure, sustainability-focused investments are investments that KKR has identified as aligned with one or more sustainability-focused industries or activities, as informed by third-party frameworks and Global Industry Classification Standard (GICS) sub-industries, including: climate, environmental sustainability, education, workforce, cybersecurity and privacy, and inclusion.
A Thematic, Solutions-Orientated Approach to Scaling Impact
The Global Impact strategy focuses on opportunities where we believe we can help scale an existing business to deliver enhanced economic outcomes and impact. The strategy seeks to invest in leading companies where financial performance and positive impact are intrinsically linked and core to the company every step of the way. To do this, we:
• Focus on our four investment themes: Climate action, sustainable living, lifelong learning, and inclusive growth
• Identify opportunities to scale solutions to a locally relevant challenge linked to a United Nations Sustainable Development Goal ("SDG"), in collaboration with third-party experts
• Invest behind proven business models
• Measure and manage impact and sustainability performance
• Use active governance to encourage risk reduction and support operational improvements to drive value creation
KKR Global Climate Transition
KKR’s Global Climate Transition strategy seeks to invest in solutions that enhance efficiency, affordability, resilience, and decarbonization across all sectors of the physical economy. Incubated within our infrastructure platform and powered by cross-functional expertise of teams from across KKR, the strategy seeks to invest in growth infrastructure opportunities, which require significant amounts of capital.
A Systematic Climate Investing Framework
We developed a climate investing framework to seek to consistently evaluate the emission intensity and abatement potential of the opportunities we work on. To determine whether a company may qualify for an investment by Global Climate Transition, we evaluate whether the company can achieve risk-adjusted returns and whether the climate solution aligns with the the following principles:
-
RelevantThe investment is relevant by addressing GHG emissions in sectors critical to advancing the energy transition, such as energy, transport, heavy industry, or agriculture
-
SignificantThe investment can produce significant decarbonization outcomes, such as directly reducing GHG emissions in a high-emitting sector or scaling climate solutions critical to decarbonization pathways
-
CredibleThe solution is credible and the climate outcomes can be measured and reported against third-party frameworks and standards
Refer to the Cautionary Statement in the Sustainability Report for important disclosures regarding KKR’s sustainability-related initiatives, policies, and procedures.