At Kartesia we have made it very clear that ESG and CSR are at the heart of our philosophy, both at an investment and a corporate level. The last 12 months have seen one of the most troubling crises in a generation which has impacted companies of all kinds. Fortunately, it is with pleasure that we are able to bring you this latest Insight newsletter focusing on CSR, to which we have maintained our commitment despite the magnitude of the challenges raised by the coronavirus pandemic. 

While we are keen to ensure that portfolio companies meet certain ESG requirements and measures, it has always been our view that we must lead from the front. We were very pleased to be confirmed as a carbon neutral company for the second year in a row, having offset our carbon footprint for the year 2019 with the help of CarbonFootprint Ltd . With their support, we selected a project taking place in both UK and Brazil which provides an opportunity to plant trees in the UK as well as helping to protect the Amazon Rainforest, the world’s largest remaining rainforest.

Kartesia has been a signatory to the UN Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) since 2014. All signatories report to the UN PRI on an annual basis. This year, we successfully maintained our A rating for the Strategy and Governance module against a benchmark of B for our peers with similar AuM. Next to that, we upgraded our scoring for both our private debt and CLO strategies, receiving an A scoring for our private debt strategy and aligned with our peers with a B for our CLO strategy. This reflects the hard work put in by every member of the team across our various strategies to ensure that ESG is a must-have for our employees, investors, and portfolio companies. 

This year has been incredibly difficult for the global population, particularly those in emerging markets or with greater exposure to industries vulnerable to the effects of enforced lockdowns. Last year we decided to partner with CAMELEON, a children’s non-profit organisation in the Philippines, to sponsor three teenagers through an education and development programme. We are delighted to say that all three of our sponsored children successfully passed their academic years, despite the significant challenges posed by Covid-19 in the country and are due to enter the first and second years of university. Programmes like these are an essential part of our commitment to CSR, enabling favourable outcomes for those who may not otherwise have the opportunity. 

There is more to come on our CSR initiatives throughout the rest of this newsletter, the third of its kind, including additional detail on how we were able to add value for portfolio companies from an ESG perspective through the coronavirus pandemic and some of the charitable work that has been undertaken in Belgium.