ESG reporting guidelines for the European private capital industry

Practical guidance, detailed insights and concrete ESG recommendations for practitioners of all sizes across Europe

  • Invest Europe’s landmark publication includes practical guidance, detailed insights and concrete ESG recommendations for practitioners of all sizes across Europe
  • Non-mandatory guidelines produced with the help of more than 50 industry practitioners and advisers from across Invest Europe’s membership in the EU and beyond

The comprehensive and unique guide helps the private capital industry navigate sustainability reporting. It was presented at a virtual launch event, providing much-needed clarity on a topic that’s critical to the private equity and venture capital industry.

With €846 billion of assets under management and private capital-backed firms totalling 10 million people employed in Europe, private equity and venture capital has the critical mass to help make a difference in the move towards net-zero.

To support these firms, regardless of where they are on their environmental, social and governance (ESG) journeys, the Invest Europe guidelines aim to create the most advanced and user-friendly guidance for private equity and venture capital firms across Europe.

They contain:

  • Direction for firms on how to integrate ESG into their reporting processes throughout the investment life cycle
  • Practical guidance on how to develop an ESG policy and how to assess materiality
  • Detailed mapping of the pan-European regulatory framework, as well as existing standards and frameworks
  • A voluntary reporting template for firms to use, including a list of ESG metrics in line with regulatory requirements and voluntary initiatives

The non-mandatory guidelines have been produced with the help of more than 50 industry practitioners and advisers from across Invest Europe’s membership in the EU and beyond. They are based on industry surveys to ensure that the reporting guidance and recommendations reflect not only current market practices and the realities facing fund managers, but also the expectations and needs of investors.

Eric de Montgolfier, CEO of Invest Europe, commented:

  • “By creating guidelines for ESG reporting, Invest Europe proudly provides transparency, clarity, and harmony to this space – benefiting European firms, their investors, and stakeholders more broadly.”
  • “Invest Europe’s ESG guidelines are designed to develop over time as the ESG landscape continues to evolve rapidly. They are exhaustive enough to be immediately useful to the industry while being sufficiently flexible to accommodate modifications that can ensure future-proof guidance.”

A copy of Invest Europe’s Members-only ESG guidelines can be accessed here. Please reach out to us for further details.