Value creation thanks to high ESG performance

Stephanie Hubold joined Altor with a mission.

Stephanie Hubold has long had a passion to develop solutions that reconcile economic and environmental objectives, and brings more than 12 years of experience in top-management consulting and the non-profit sector. Most recently, she was responsible for QVARTZ Sustainability practice, supporting leading corporates in the Nordics on their sustainability journeys. Prior, she has been driving projects on systemic change towards a circular and low-carbon economy with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation in the UK. This was after starting her career with McKinsey & Company in Munich where she was an active part of both the financial institutions group and the sustainability practice.

Stephanie Hubold, Head of Sustainability, Altor
“Science leaves no doubt that this decade counts to avoid an irreversible climate and biodiversity crisis. We need to change our economic system: Design to use again. Use, but don’t use up. Run on renewable energy. And business will play a crucial role in that transformation.”

The ambition in bringing Stephanie on board was to fully integrate ESG across Altor’s ownership cycle: From identifying opportunities and potential challenges in the screening process based on sustainability trends, and always running a systematic ESG due diligence, over to supporting portfolio companies in managing potential ESG risks and seizing the upside related to new growth markets, cost reductions, and lasting stakeholder relations. This will go along with requesting higher transparency and performance on critical ESG topics from Altor’s companies and investing in building the required awareness and capabilities.

“In many companies, real progress is still hindered by short-termism, siloed thinking, and misaligned incentives.” Stephanie Hubold continues: “With Altor’s long ownership horizon, I trust we can really make a difference. The diverse portfolio allows to play to the whole range of Sustainable Development Goals and use them as a powerful framework for innovation.”

One of Altor’s more recent advances is thanks to Stephanie’s hard work with the Science Based Target initiative (SBTi). As an active member of the Private Equity Expert Advisory Group for the Science Based Target initiative, she along with the group provided expert feedback and direction in creating the SBTi’s guiding document for private equity. The purpose and ambition with the guidance is to enable the wide adoption of science-based targets by private equity investors. When the new SBTi guidance was launched at COP26, Altor committed to setting a science-based target in line with the 1.5°C ambition. The next step is to get the target approved by the SBTi and to further integrate it into Altor’s operations. This is one of many efforts led by Stephanie to heighten the ESG standards at Altor.

“It is super urgent that we take action on climate change. But when you look at society it’s clear that we are basically driving towards a cliff and accelerating. The messages we are receiving from the scientists in United Nations IPCC report are extremely clear – we are in a climate crisis and the recommended actions are urgent.”, says Stephanie Hubold.

Published: Mar 01 2020

Value creation thanks to high ESG performance

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