Kohlberg, Kravis, Roberts & Co (KKR) was set up in 1976 and to begin with their focus was in ‘bootstrap’ buyouts. But hoping to make the businesses they acquire greener and more profitable to boot, they have set in motion a unique enterprise that has fundamentally changed the method by which business concerns and environmental groups work.

Green business practices went mainstream last year when Kohlberg, Kravis, Roberts & Co’s Henry Kravis and the New York based Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) joined forces. These companies wanted to tackle all important matters damaging the ecology of the planet, for instance toxic waste, hazardous emissions, unrestrained water consumption, and resource depletion.

Eco-efficiency (the term was originally popularized by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development WBCSD) is the formula deployed to achieve these objectives, applying techniques like reducing the intensity of materials, increasing the durability of products and fuel economy. Although the program was an enormous success, no-one recognized how fantastic the results were until Ken Mehlman, the head of the program and global public affairs, finished the first annual review. Much to everyone’s surprise, Ken realized that this program not only helped in proctecting the environment, but also increased the profitability of all their business organizations as well. To date, KKR and Ken Mehlman have virtually all of their firms involved in the program. If you think about the fact that this group of companies has a value of nearly $100 billion USD, you can see what a huge feat this is.

Kohlberg, Kravis, Roberts & Co with the EDF in association with Ken Mehlman have also expanded on the initial program. For instance, Kohlberg, Kravis, Roberts & Co got together with the Environmental Defense Fund’s Climate Corps Program an enterprise which teaches interns taking an MBA how to develop and start financially strong, environmentally friendly techniques.

KKR and Ken Mehlman have taken the time to develop metrics that oversee resources. This type of info is significant as companies can assess their day-to-day activities and discover exactly how any issues may be resolved while simultaneously tracking their progress. Today’s business world has been altogether revolutionized by the ground breaking efforts of these people. So, to summarize, the work of these organizations has made environmentally friendly business techniques not only viable, but commercially desirable, and their radical ideas are setting a new standard in the competitive business world of today.