Our responsibility
At EMK Capital, we take our role as investors seriously, fully recognising the responsibilities we carry to our investors and beyond: over 40% of our current investor base comprises of pensions, endowments, foundations, government and other non-profit organisations. As these investors represent and provide for millions of pensioners, students, teachers, public workers including health, social and municipal employees, and religious, charitable and community workers, the returns we generate have a meaningful impact on the lives of these individuals, the communities they live in and the environment around them.
We are committed to positively contributing to the shaping of a more efficient and sustainable future economy, as well as enhancing the wellbeing of our communities.
Read our Responsible Investment Report 2023We are committed to positively contributing to the shaping of a more efficient and sustainable future economy, as well as enhancing the wellbeing of our communities.
Our philosophy and approach
Supporting portfolio companies to be sustainability leaders in their respective sub sectors is key to our delivering the EMK Way, our proprietary investment approach.
Our focus is on value protection as well as value creation. We are driven to build resilience, enhance competitiveness, and ensure purpose alignment across our portfolio—because it is not only the right thing to do but also the right way to win.
As we help portfolio companies improve operational sustainability, manage sustainability risks and identify sustainability-related opportunities, we not only help unlock financial value for our investors, but we also drive positive impact on the environment and society.
We support our businesses to be sustainability leaders in their respective subsectors by balancing between near-term objectives and the long-term drivers for success.
To achieve this balance, three core principles guide our decision-making processes: value creation, value protection and net positive impact.
Our focus is on value protection as well as value creation. We are driven to build resilience, enhance competitiveness, and ensure purpose alignment across our portfolio—because it is not only the right thing to do but also the right way to win.
As we help portfolio companies improve operational sustainability, manage sustainability risks and identify sustainability-related opportunities, we not only help unlock financial value for our investors, but we also drive positive impact on the environment and society.
We support our businesses to be sustainability leaders in their respective subsectors by balancing between near-term objectives and the long-term drivers for success.
To achieve this balance, three core principles guide our decision-making processes: value creation, value protection and net positive impact.
Globally recognised excellence in responsible investment
2024
- Portfolio company Reconomy awarded Top Recognition for the BVCA Excellence in ESG initiative
2023
- EMK named finalist for the Real Deals Private Equity Awards for ESG
- EMK recognised as a Real Deals Future 40 Innovator
- EMK recognised as a Real Deals Future 40 Climate Champion
- Eva Vogt, Partner and Head of Responsible Investment, recognised as a Real Deals Industry Leader and invited to join the Real Deals ESG advisory board
- Portfolio company Onebright shortlisted in the Real Deals Private Equity Awards for ESG
2022
- EMK awarded Special Recognition for the BVCA Excellence in ESG initiative
- Portfolio company Reconomy awarded Top Recognition for the BVCA Excellence in ESG initiative
- Portfolio companies Bright Data and Williams Advanced Engineering awarded Special Recognition for the BVCA Excellence in ESG initiative
- EMK named finalist in three ‘ESG Deal of the Year’ categories for the Real Deals Private Equity Awards
- Portfolio company Bright Data awarded Most Innovative ESG Initiative for the ESG AAA European Awards
2021
- EMK awarded Top Recognition for the BVCA Excellence in ESG initiative
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Portfolio company Reconomy awarded Top Recognition for the BVCA Excellence in ESG initiative 2023
Policies
EMK is a signatory of the United Nations-backed Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI), and this commitment to maintaining high sustainability standards throughout our portfolio and operations is reflected in our policies. We believe that improving sustainability performance is a critical part of ensuring long term success for any business today. Our approach is governed by our Responsible Investment Policy and our ESG Policy.
Collaborations in sustainable investment
EMK has been a signatory of the UN PRI since July 2017, at our inception. The UN PRI is a network of international investors working together to ensure that responsible investment issues are given appropriate consideration in the investment process. EMK currently maintains top scores (five stars) across all PRI categories.
EMK has been a member of UKSIF since early 2020. UKSIF is the membership association for sustainable and responsible financial services in the UK. Membership provides the ability to share best practises in sustainable investment over the wider financial services spectrum.
From March 2022 – March 2023 EMK sponsored the UK Government’s All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on ESG. The APPG on ESG exists to deepen parliamentarians’ engagement with investors and industry on fundamental matters concerning the dynamic between British business’ operations and strategies, and environmental concerns, social issues, and governance decisions. The APPG engages with government, investors and industry to ensure that ESG principles are fully embedded, and to aid in unlocking billions of pounds of investment.
Supporting all members of the private equity community
The wide range of perspectives and expertise within EMK have enabled us to continually develop differentiated insights and achieve outstanding outcomes. We are committed to continue championing excellence, both at EMK and beyond.
We are delighted to be a Sponsor of Level 20, the not-for-profit organisation established to inspire women to join and succeed in the private equity industry. Our firm supports Level 20’s mission to encourage greater female representation across the private equity industry with the goal of having 20% of senior positions in the industry held by women and with a particular focus on increasing the number of women in investment roles. We support Level 20’s five key initiatives to achieve this mission: mentoring and development; networking and events; outreach; advocacy; and research.
We encourage our employees irrespective of gender to be active members of Level 20 by contributing to Level 20-led research, discussion groups and outreach events and participating in the annual mentoring programme. Our firm’s engagement with these activities is led by our internal Level 20 Ambassador.
We are delighted to be a Sponsor of Level 20, the not-for-profit organisation established to inspire women to join and succeed in the private equity industry. Our firm supports Level 20’s mission to encourage greater female representation across the private equity industry with the goal of having 20% of senior positions in the industry held by women and with a particular focus on increasing the number of women in investment roles. We support Level 20’s five key initiatives to achieve this mission: mentoring and development; networking and events; outreach; advocacy; and research.
We encourage our employees irrespective of gender to be active members of Level 20 by contributing to Level 20-led research, discussion groups and outreach events and participating in the annual mentoring programme. Our firm’s engagement with these activities is led by our internal Level 20 Ambassador.
We are also proud sponsors of Out Investors, a global organisation that was founded with the mission to make the private investing industry more welcoming for LGBT+ individuals. The OI network operates through local chapters in major financial city centres and is formed in partnership with investment organizations. Current chapters include New York, London and San Francisco. The role of these chapters is to foster community, hold networking events and facilitate mentorship in the industry.
Diversity within the private equity industry relies on fostering social mobility. Starting in 2019 EMK are working with the London Academy of Excellence, a state school that started in 2012 to serve the brightest pupils in one of the most economically disadvantaged areas of London. The Academy model relies on sponsorship, and the Managing Partners are personally sponsoring a significant cohort of students. The investment team are providing mentoring to those students keen to learn more about the world of finance.
Diversity within the private equity industry relies on fostering social mobility. Starting in 2019 EMK are working with the London Academy of Excellence, a state school that started in 2012 to serve the brightest pupils in one of the most economically disadvantaged areas of London. The Academy model relies on sponsorship, and the Managing Partners are personally sponsoring a significant cohort of students. The investment team are providing mentoring to those students keen to learn more about the world of finance.
Climate action
EMK’s science-based target (SBT) was approved by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) in October 2023, when EMK became the first private equity firm to set a science-based portfolio coverage target based on absolute emissions, rather than invested capital.
EMK is proud to demonstrate its continued commitment to ensuring its portfolio is aligning with a 1.5°C trajectory and are working with our all stakeholders to:
EMK is proud to demonstrate its continued commitment to ensuring its portfolio is aligning with a 1.5°C trajectory and are working with our all stakeholders to:
- Scale up efforts and support actions to reduce emissions
- Build resilience and decrease vulnerability to the adverse effects of climate change
- Uphold and promote regional and international cooperation
EMK became a supporter of the Task Force for Climate-related Financial Disclosure (the TCFD) in 2021, committing to improve and increase reporting of climate-related financial information.
In order to help us progress and align with the TCFD’s three phase action plan, we have become a signatory of the initiative Climat International (iCI), joining a global community of private equity investors who seek to better understand and manage the risk associated with climate change, reducing the climate impact of their own investment strategies, as well as the carbon intensity of their portfolios.
In 2021, 2022 and 2024, EMK signed the Investor Agenda's statement to global governments as a call for action on the climate crisis.
Reporting and disclosure
We aim to communicate transparently on responsible investment matters with our investors, portfolio company management, and other stakeholders. We provide a sustainability performance update to investors annually, which is a more detailed version of our publicly available Responsible Investment Report. As a signatory to the PRI, we report our progress on our approach to responsible investment in an annual Transparency Report.
About us
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