Commitment to Responsible Investing

Riverside strives to create long-term value while considering how its activities affect all of its stakeholders. Riverside’s stakeholders include its limited partners, employees, portfolio company employees and other vendors and business partners, as well as the neighborhoods and communities where Riverside and its portfolio companies operate or that are otherwise affected by Riverside’s work. Riverside believes that adherence to responsible investment principles can improve the value of its portfolio companies, thereby benefitting all of its stakeholders.

Riverside has a Responsible Investment Committee staffed by senior leaders in the Firm and chaired by its Chief Sustainability Officer. While Riverside strategy managers are ultimately responsible for determining the strategy of each of their products, the Responsible Investment Committee coordinates efforts for the Firm’s responsible investment practices, policies and processes, as well as the sharing of best practices and responsible investment guidelines. The Riverside Responsible Investment Guidelines are the framework to foster responsible investment practices across Riverside’s buyout strategies, but also serve as advice for managers of Riverside’s non-control products.

Responsible Investing and Values

Riverside believes it has the duty to behave responsibly to the environment, mitigate the impact of climate change as well as the pollution of water and air. These efforts reflect Riverside’s commitment to addressing the long-term and systemic challenges of climate change and ecological degradation, while also recognizing that this also offers potential economic opportunities. Riverside supports and respects the protection of internationally proclaimed human rights.

Riverside refines its responsible investment approach by engaging and cooperating with capital partners, international organizations, national and regional trade bodies, and the communities the firm operates in. Collective engagement channels are pursued with other private market investors to coordinate value creation efforts. As an integral part of Riverside’s approach to Stewardship, Riverside collaborates with organizations, as mentioned above, and is a member of industry associations shown below. Building a diverse workforce is a priority and Riverside has a formal strategy in place, including working with a variety of universities and organizations such as Level20, Girls Who Invest, and 51Vets. Riverside believes that diverse teams achieve better results and attract and retain high-quality talent.

Riverside believes that good governance is foundational for any successful business. A strong governance structure has clearly defined roles and responsibilities backed by a set of business values that build a culture of transparency and accountability.

In addition to Responsible Investing, Riverside follows a principles-based value system and approach. Its core tenet is to treat others in the same way we would want to be treated. Honesty, integrity and high ethical standards are crucial to everything Riverside does.

Riverside believes that responsible investing guided by a set of core values benefits all of our stakeholders and makes the Firm a more attractive partner and a more rewarding place to work.

Riverside became a signatory of the UN PRI in 2022.

Sustainability Framework

Riverside has a sustainability framework as we see Responsible Investing as a value creation tool. The framework includes an assessment of values that focuses on honesty, transparency and reputation, among other factors.

Environment

Riverside’s Responsible Investment approach includes the consideration of environmental criteria like, energy efficiency, the reduction of waste and mitigating the pollution of air and water.

Human Capital

The Responsible Investment approach also includes human capital related assessments that include, treating employees ethically and honestly, not benefitting from forced or child labor, and paying wages that meet or exceed established minimums.

Riverside also assesses the protection of internationally proclaimed human rights. Riverside will not intentionally support companies that are known to be complicit in human rights abuses and workplace discrimination.

Governance

Riverside maintains that the cornerstone of a thriving business lies in effective governance. This includes a set of business values, a culture of transparency and accountability, supporting employees with guidance and training, a strong governance structure with clearly defined roles and responsibilities, and data protection and cyber security management.

Riverside is a proud founding partner of Ownership Works, a nonprofit organization that works to provide portfolio company employees with the opportunity to build wealth through shared ownership. Riverside is selectively implementing shared ownership programs in certain strategies and portfolio companies.

Association Memberships

AMCHAM

American Trade
Chamber in Belgium

ACG

Association for
Corporate Growth

AVCAL

Australian Private Equity & Venture Capital Association Limited

BVA

Belgian Venture
Capital Association

BAI

Bundesverband
Alternative Investments 

Invest Europe

European Private Equity
Association, Brussels

LPEA

Luxembourg Private
Equity Association

NVP

Dutch Private
Equity Association

SpainCap

Spanish Private
Equity Association

SVCA

Swedish Private
Equity Association