ESG management systems (ESMS) are now well established as good practice in the private equity industry. The development, implementation, and maintenance of an ESMS has become a prerequisite for receiving funding from Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) and an increasing number of other investors. A well designed and properly implemented ESMS should add value to the fund and its stakeholders by:

• Ensuring that ESG factors are part of the decision making and investment monitoring processes throughout the investment cycle.
• Providing a framework to manage ESG risks at both the fund and portfolio company level.
• Creating a framework to identify and realize value creation opportunities in portfolio companies, and integrate these into plans for organisational and operational business support.
• Providing clarity for all stakeholders on the ESG standards and sustainable business performance that the fund intends its portfolio companies to meet.

Learning Outcomes As a result of this event, participants will:

• Be better acquainted with international ESG standards and expectations placed on PE funds by DFI investors
• Understand more about the business case for integrated ESG decision making
• Have a better understanding of how E&S decision making works in the investment process of PE funds

Target Audience: This training is geared toward E&S/ESG officers and investment staff at PE funds; those with some years of experience. A basic familiarity with E&S issues facing businesses in Africa