Abris Capital achieves B Corporation status
ESG transformation specialist becomes first Central European private equity firm to achieve the most prestigious, globally recognized ESG certification for businesses
15 May 2023, Warsaw – Abris Capital Partners (“Abris”), the ESG transformation specialist private equity investor, has been certified as a B Corporation (“B Corp”), becoming the first private equity firm in Central Europe to receive this recognition.
B Corp status is the most prestigious, globally recognized ESG accreditation for businesses that demonstrate the highest standards of social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability through a rigorous assessment process. The certification is awarded by B Lab, the not-for-profit behind the B Corporation movement.
In order to receive certification, organizations must reach a set threshold in an Impact Assessment scoring exercise and pass B Lab’s risk review. They must also make a legal commitment by changing their corporate governance structure to be accountable to all stakeholders, and exhibit transparency by allowing information about their performance to be publicly available on their profile on B Lab’s website.
Pawel Gierynski, Managing Partner of Abris, commented:
“As the guardian of 10.5 million jobs in Europe, we believe that private equity must invest sustainably and demonstrate the highest ethical standards in everything it does. B Corp certification is highly prized and globally recognized, and supports our mission to be the partner of choice for businesses in Central Europe and investors worldwide. By being part of this influential global movement, we hope to further build trust with consumers and communities; attract and retain employees; and draw mission-aligned investors. We hope to inspire other firms, as well as further our own education and commitment to sustainable investing.”
Founded in 2007, Abris seeks to partner with leading mid-market businesses in Central Europe, always balancing strong business growth with an ESG-focused culture, carbon neutrality, DEI commitments and digital excellence. Since formally launching its ESG strategy, Abris has created a range of innovative flagship programs that support value creation and risk mitigation, including its Corporate Governance Model, Anti-Corruption Program, Climate Manifesto, Human Rights Policy and DEI Code.
Abris joins a small group of European private equity firms, including Summa Equity and Ambienta, to have achieved B Corp certification.
Monika Nachyla, Partner and Head of ESG at Abris, added:
“This is a significant milestone in Abris’ history and reflects our pioneering role in sustainable investing in Central Europe. As a B Corp, Abris is now part of a community of nearly 6,400 businesses globally that is reinventing the way business works. For the last six years, we have worked hard to build our own, region and industry-specific methodology, learning and relearning lessons on how ESG tools can help to create shareholder and stakeholder value. Today, I am so proud we can join the still small group of private equity managers who are make a difference and building a sustainable and regenerative economy.”
In its assessment, which is repeated every three years, Abris scored 109, against a required level of 80.
Pawel Nizinski, Country Partner for B Lab in Poland and CEO of Better, commented:
“We are happy to welcome Abris to our group – a company that bases its ESG strategy on the strong foundations of corporate governance, anti-corruption policies, respect for human rights, its manifesto to fight the climate crisis, and finally, on its DEI culture. Congratulations, this is well-deserved! Abris undoubtedly sets the standard for business transformation at its portfolio companies and throughout the private equity ecosystem. We are proud that Abris has joined the companies signing the Declaration of Interdependence – the basic document of the B Corp Movement.”
To find out more about B Lab & B Corporation, click here.