Top lines:
- EDC to track European private equity and venture capital greenhouse gas emissions and progress towards net zero
- Will also track the proportion of women employed by and on the boards of portfolio companies
Press release:
As the authoritative data source on European private equity and venture capital, the European Data Cooperative (EDC) will collect detailed environment, social and governance (ESG) information as part of a new initiative to measure industry efforts in tackling environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues including climate change, female under-representation and bribery and corruption - highlighting the industry’s commitment to the highest ESG standards.
The EDC – the non-profit market-leading database established in partnership between the BVCA, Invest Europe and national private equity associations across Europe - gathers fundraising, investment, divestment and economic impact and performance data on more than 1,600 European private equity and venture capital firms and their portfolio companies, accounting for 90% of the €754 billion in capital under management in Europe.
From mid-2022, and as a result of EDC data collection efforts, the BVCA, Invest Europe and participating national associations will be able to comment on robust ESG data from private capital firms across Europe. The aim is to measure the industry’s performance on the ESG issues that matter to society, and to track progress on an annual basis.
The EDC serves as a single data entry point for all private equity and venture capital fund managers across Europe. Using one platform with a standardised methodology allows for consistent pan-European statistics that are comparable across the region. This better informs fund managers, investors, policymakers, regulators, media and other stakeholders.
Michael Moore, BVCA Director General, said:
“The BVCA is delighted to have collaborated with its European counterparts in the development of this new data collection program. The vast majority of our members are already active in supporting their businesses to develop ways to combat climate change, improve diversity and strengthen company governance. Having a single, standardised way of collecting and benchmarking this data will help us all communicate the strides private equity and venture capital are taking for people and planet.”
The regional and national private equity associations formally partnering with the BVCA as part of the EDC include: Invest Europe; France Invest – France; BVK – Germany; SVCA – Sweden; ASCRI – Spain; AIFI – Italy; NVP – The Netherlands; SECA – Switzerland; BVA – Belgium; NVCA – Norway; Active Owners Denmark – Denmark; FVCA – Finland; PSIK – Poland; LPEA – Luxembourg.
Notes to editors
- For more information on any of the above, please contact the BVCA’s External Communications Manager, Will English, on wenglish@bvca.co.uk.
- For more information about the EDC, please visit: www.investeurope.eu/research/about-research/data-collection
- The British Private Equity & Venture Capital Association (BVCA) is the industry body for the UK private equity and venture capital industry. The BVCA has over 750 member firms, including more than 450 fund managers and institutional investors, representing the majority of UK-based private equity and venture capital firms and their advisers.