In 2009, we helped to develop the guidelines for responsible investment as a member of the American Investment Council. In accordance with these guidelines, KKR’s private equity funds commit to take environmental, social, governance, and labor issues into account when making and managing investments, where consistent with our fiduciary duties and subject to any applicable legal, regulatory, and contractual requirements:

1. Consider environmental, public health, safety, and social issues associated with target companies when evaluating whether to invest in a particular company or entity, as well as during the period of ownership.
2. Seek to be accessible to, and engage with, relevant stakeholders either directly or through representatives of portfolio companies, as appropriate.
3. Seek to grow and improve the companies in which they invest for long-term sustainability and to benefit multiple stakeholders, including on environmental, social, and governance issues. To that end, American Investment Council members will work through appropriate governance structures (e.g., board of directors) with portfolio companies with respect to environmental, public health, safety, and social issues, with the goal of improving performance and minimizing adverse impacts in these areas. 
4. Seek to use governance structures that provide appropriate levels of oversight in the areas of audit, risk management, and potential conflicts of interest and to implement compensation and other policies that align the interests of owners and management.
5. Remain committed to compliance with applicable national, state, and local labor laws in the countries in which they invest; support the payment of competitive wages and benefits to employees; provide a safe and healthy workplace in conformance with national and local law; and, consistent with applicable law, respect the rights of employees to decide whether or not to join a union and engage in collective bargaining.
6. Maintain strict policies that prohibit bribery and other improper payments to public officials consistent with the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, similar laws in other countries, and the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention.
7. Respect the human rights of those affected by their investment activities and seek to confirm that their investments do not flow to companies that utilize child or forced labor or maintain discriminatory policies.
8. Provide timely information to their limited partners on the matters addressed herein, and work to foster transparency about their activities.
9. Encourage their portfolio companies to advance these same principles in a way which is consistent with their fiduciary duties.