Fully Outsourced Sustainability Team
UK Private Equity Manager
Helping a UK-based PE Firm Unlock Sustainability Value – Without Hiring in-House
Client Overview
A UK-based private equity manager recently faced a challenge familiar to many in the alternative investment space: investor expectations on sustainability were rising but the firm didn’t have any internal expertise or resource capacity. Rather than make a rushed in-house hire, the firm opted to fully outsource its sustainability function – engaging Danesmead Advisory to deliver end-to-end support for both the GP and its portfolio.
A Strategic, Scalable Solution
Danesmead was appointed as the firm’s sustainability partner – not just to plug a gap, but to embed a functional, scalable programme. We were tasked with managing sustainability efforts at both the GP and portfolio company level, delivering the depth of expertise and breadth of services that would typically require a multi-person internal team.
Key Actions
Working closely with the client’s COO, IR manager and investment professionals, we designed and implemented a structured sustainability programme tailored to the firm’s portfolio, investor base and regulatory landscape. Our support spanned six core pillars:
Regulatory and framework reporting
Managing disclosures and submissions under PRI, TCFD, SFDR, EDCI, and UNGC – reducing the client’s regulatory burden and ensuring consistent, investor-ready outputs.
Annual sustainability survey of portfolio companies
Designing and running a group-wide sustainability survey to establish benchmarks, track progress, and identify areas for improvement across portfolio companies.
Annual sustainability reporting
Producing a comprehensive report for the client, covering both firm-level progress and portfolio-wide initiatives, including company case studies and outcome metrics.
Portfolio company support
Working directly with portfolio companies to onboard them into the programme, set practical sustainability targets, implement initiatives, and monitor progress. We also supported carbon footprint assessments and sustainability-related reporting.
Investor and LP support
Responding to LP queries and completing investor sustainability questionnaires – ensuring clarity, consistency, and timely delivery.
Programme oversight and governance
Maintaining internal sustainability policies, providing training where needed, and establishing robust internal reporting systems to track performance and risks.
Results
Time Saved, Risk Reduced, Value Delivered
With Danesmead Advisory acting as an extension of the client’s team, the firm was able to launch and scale a professional sustainability function in a matter of weeks – with no hiring process, onboarding time, or learning curve. We project-managed the full cycle, from data collection to report production, ensuring deadlines were met and investor expectations exceeded.
The flexibility of the outsourced model allowed the client to scale our involvement during peak reporting periods – for example, during SFDR or annual reporting – and reduce touchpoints during quieter months, optimising cost-efficiency. Crucially, by leveraging Danesmead’s technical knowledge and sector experience, the client avoided common regulatory pitfalls, and gained a credible sustainability strategy that aligned with their investment goals.
For GPs without internal capacity, outsourcing sustainability to a specialist partner like Danesmead Advisory is not just pragmatic – it’s commercially smart.