ESG compliance is fast becoming a must for private equity. We’re seeing rising demand from PE firms for ESG specialists. In current projects for our private equity clients, we at TALENTspy are noticing two interesting things:
• Many people in ESG roles are purpose-driven. They find deep meaning in their work, and private equity is rather alien to them.
• ESG is a broad field with many specialists working on parts of the problem. PE firms, though, often want one person who covers it all.
The lesson: when it comes to the interview, a PE firm must make it absolutely clear to an ESG candidate that its purpose isn’t only to turn companies upside down and generate high returns!
The fact that candidates know little about private equity is also an advantage. Very few have negative preconceptions about PE (the old “locust” label in Germany). So the chance to find each other is there, especially as PE pays very attractive salaries in ESG.
My tip: make this your pitch. When private equity does something, it does it at the highest level and with an enormous focus on delivery! Most ESG specialists work in large corporations, financial services firms and big consultancies. The prospect of building best-in-class ESG management at a PE firm is appealing. Don’t be discouraged if your search for ESG people has been slow so far. Finding someone is definitely possible! More on the different ESG strategies and the candidates available soon.
