In brief: Hellman & Friedman joins PRI

Hellman & Friedman has joined the UN’s Principles for Responsible Investment. The PRI has more than 5,000 signatories, but Hellman & Friedman’s arrival is notable for the firm’s sheer size: it closed its 10th flagship buyout fund on $24.4 billion in 2021, and is now marketing its 11th.

Thirty-six percent of private equity firms surveyed by Adams Street Partners were signatories to the PRI in 2021. But the PRI has seen a groundswell of uptake from private equity firms in recent years, particularly from the largest fund managers; Thoma Bravo, Carlyle, General Atlantic and Bain Capital are among the brand-name fund managers that joined in 2022. Eight of the 10 largest private equity firms – by capital raised over the last five years – are signatories.

• Further reading: How the PRI stays relevant in a changing ESG landscape