ESG insights for private companies

The critical role of ESG for private companies

Multiple authors
2024-10-31
Archived info
Archived pieces remain available on the site. Please consider the publish date while reading these older pieces.
829105476

The views expressed are those of the authors at the time of writing. Other teams may hold different views and make different investment decisions. The value of your investment may become worth more or less than at the time of original investment. While any third-party data used is considered reliable, its accuracy is not guaranteed. For professional, institutional, or accredited investors only.

Scrutiny of newly public firms’ ESG practices is greater today than ever before. In our view, boards and management teams who proactively think about and act on these topics are strategically advantaged compared to more reactive peers.

We believe strong ESG practices for venture capital and other private companies can potentially help improve financial returns, establish stronger brands and wider competitive moats, draw a broader pool of investors post-IPO, and reduce the risk of being a target of shareholder activism. 

Partnering with Wellington for ESG insights

We aim to help our portfolio company management teams and boards navigate the complex and constantly evolving ESG landscape using our deep experience and distinct perspective, from the venture capital stage all the way to an IPO. We seek to enable ESG best practices and value creation through collaborative thought partnership with our portfolio companies — we do not view ESG as punitive or “box checking.” We hope to establish a productive two-way dialogue and draw on our firm’s broad public and private equity, fixed income, and ESG expertise to offer companies an informed, long-term view and provide valuable market- and company-specific input.

Our partnership with our portfolio companies includes access to a mix of proprietary and third-party data and resources. Regardless of where our portfolio companies are in their life cycle, we believe every company can benefit from the foundational elements of our process, including:

  • Public market ESG readiness – To help our portfolio companies proactively implement ESG best practices and be ESG-ready at IPO or exit, we provide ongoing public market insights and guidance, including access to Wellington’s public market investors, ESG Team, and proprietary ESG frameworks.
  • Private company ESG benchmarking – In collaboration with the ESG Data Convergence Initiative (EDCI), we can share differentiated private market-specific ESG insights and benchmarking analysis.
  • ESG roadmap – We offer custom analysis of our portfolio companies’ ESG strengths and areas for improvement, how they compare to public company peers, and suggestions for improving their ESG profile over time (upon request).

Continuing the ESG journey

As ESG factors become increasingly critical to private companies, especially as they approach the public markets, we look forward to partnering with our portfolio companies to try to enhance opportunities and reduce risks through early integration of ESG best practices. 

To learn more about our ESG insights for private companies, read our latest research for venture capital and broader private markets on climate, governance, DEI, and more. 

Experts

More esg insights for private companies

Showing of Insights Posts
1408450618
Archived info
Archived pieces remain available on the site. Please consider the publish date while reading these older pieces.

Human capital management for private companies

We discuss why effective people management is critical for private companies and outline four strategic focus areas that can help companies navigate evolving employee needs, regulatory changes, and investor expectations.

Continue reading
event
7 min
Article
2025-08-28
Archived info
Archived pieces remain available on the site. Please consider the publish date while reading these older pieces.
server-room-gen-ai-hero-banner
Archived info
Archived pieces remain available on the site. Please consider the publish date while reading these older pieces.

AI governance for private companies

Explore the critical need for AI governance for private companies, addressing evolving risks, regulations, and best practices for responsible gen AI usage.

Continue reading
event
8 min
Article
2025-07-30
Archived info
Archived pieces remain available on the site. Please consider the publish date while reading these older pieces.
1300422159
Archived info
Archived pieces remain available on the site. Please consider the publish date while reading these older pieces.

Cybersecurity for private companies

We highlight today's rising cybersecurity risks, explore how they impact private companies, discuss key regulatory considerations, and share best practices for companies facing these threats.

Continue reading
event
8 min
Article
2025-06-30
Archived info
Archived pieces remain available on the site. Please consider the publish date while reading these older pieces.
1148429736
Archived info
Archived pieces remain available on the site. Please consider the publish date while reading these older pieces.

Private market perspectives

Hear from private market experts across our early-stage venture, climate growth, late-stage biomedical, late-stage growth, private credit, and ESG  teams.  

Continue reading
event
Video
2025-01-31
Archived info
Archived pieces remain available on the site. Please consider the publish date while reading these older pieces.
1449307455
Archived info
Archived pieces remain available on the site. Please consider the publish date while reading these older pieces.

Five key ESG topics for private companies in 2024

See where our ESG for Private Investments team is focusing to minimize investment risk and maximize company value in 2024 and beyond.

Continue reading
event
Article
2024-12-31
Archived info
Archived pieces remain available on the site. Please consider the publish date while reading these older pieces.
solar plant on hills
Archived info
Archived pieces remain available on the site. Please consider the publish date while reading these older pieces.

Why climate change matters in private markets

We explore why climate change matters in private markets, highlight the current regulatory landscape, and profile key questions to expect from public market investors.
Continue reading
event
Article
2024-10-31
Archived info
Archived pieces remain available on the site. Please consider the publish date while reading these older pieces.
glass building with sky with sun
Archived info
Archived pieces remain available on the site. Please consider the publish date while reading these older pieces.

Governance best practices in public markets

For private companies approaching the public markets, we highlight the corporate governance best practices that can help pave strong relationships with public market investors.

Continue reading
event
Article
2024-08-31
Archived info
Archived pieces remain available on the site. Please consider the publish date while reading these older pieces.
1269990020
Archived info
Archived pieces remain available on the site. Please consider the publish date while reading these older pieces.
A guide to ESG materiality assessments
We continue our "ESG insights for private companies" series by exploring ESG materiality assessments, including why they are important and how to conduct one for your private company.
Continue reading
event
Article
2025-07-31
Archived info
Archived pieces remain available on the site. Please consider the publish date while reading these older pieces.
Global Economic Outlook — 2023
Archived info
Archived pieces remain available on the site. Please consider the publish date while reading these older pieces.

Five key ESG topics for private companies in 2023

Our ESG for Private Investments Team explores five critical ESG topics for private companies in the year ahead.

Continue reading
event
Article
2023-12-31
Archived info
Archived pieces remain available on the site. Please consider the publish date while reading these older pieces.
mountains peak clouds at dawn
Archived info
Archived pieces remain available on the site. Please consider the publish date while reading these older pieces.

ESG in private markets: Insights for 2023

We highlight five key areas for private companies to prioritize in 2023 and share the essential steps they can take to keep up with today’s evolving ESG risks and opportunities.

Continue reading
event
Whitepaper
2023-11-30
Archived info
Archived pieces remain available on the site. Please consider the publish date while reading these older pieces.
glass building with sky with sun
Archived info
Archived pieces remain available on the site. Please consider the publish date while reading these older pieces.
Governance best practices in public markets
For private companies approaching the public markets, we highlight the corporate governance best practices that can help pave strong relationships with public market investors.
Continue reading
event
Article
2023-07-31
Archived info
Archived pieces remain available on the site. Please consider the publish date while reading these older pieces.
14763_insight_five-esg-considerations-for-private-investors_screen-shot_1500x410
Archived info
Archived pieces remain available on the site. Please consider the publish date while reading these older pieces.
Five key ESG topics for private companies
Members of our private market ESG team highlight the topics they expect will be top of mind in the coming year, from diversity to data privacy to supply-chain issues.
Continue reading
event
Video
2022-12-31
Archived info
Archived pieces remain available on the site. Please consider the publish date while reading these older pieces.

Additional ESG resources

Please see a short list of resources below. For a more comprehensive list of ESG resources or for any further questions, please contact us.

  • International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) – A global baseline of sustainability-related disclosure standards that provide investors and other capital market participants with information about companies’ sustainability-related risks and opportunities. 
  • Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) – A task force formed by the Financial Stability Board (FSB) to develop voluntary and consistent climate-related financial risk disclosures for use by companies to provide information to investors, lenders, insurers, and other stakeholders.
  • Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) – A sustainability reporting standard to help businesses understand and communicate their impact on ESG issues such as climate change, human rights, and corruption.
  • Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) – An international network of investors committed to six aspirational principles related to integrating ESG into the investment process.