# Private Equity Sustainability Practicum: A Deep Dive into Sustainability-Linked Value Creation

![PE Practicum Banner](/sites/default/files/styles/article_image/public/2025-12/pe_event.png?itok=kufsGnFE)  Tuesday, December 16, 2025 8:45 AM to 2:02 PM  Gardner Commons, NYU Stern, 50 West 4th Street New York, NY 10012 NYU Stern Center for Sustainable Business, in collaboration with Ceres, EDCI, EDF, ILPA, and the GP ESG Working Group, co-hosted the third annual PE Sustainability Practicum convening GPs, LPs, and portfolio companies to share responsible investment practices that drive positive value creation. Panels, keynotes, and workshops from GPs, LPs, Portfolio Companies, and other industry leaders highlighted market drivers like decarbonization, circularity, and investing in workers, and explored how sustainable capital can improve financial performance.

Attendees gained the insights and tools to analyze which sustainability strategies will unlock operational efficiency, risk mitigation, innovation, growth, market demand, and be able to demonstrate concrete financial returns.

The program included the following:

***Welcome Remarks***

- Gordon Fowler, NYU Stern CSB Advisory Board Member

***Keynote Address: Latest Insights into Sustainability Value Drivers in Private Markets***

- Tensie Whelan, Distinguished Professor of Practice, Founding Director, NYU Stern Center for Sustainable Business

***Briefing on Sustainability-linked Value Creation Initiatives***

- Florent Nanse, Partner, ADL
- Matt Schey, Managing Director of External Affairs and Sustainable Investing, ILPA

***Circularity as Financial Value Superpower***

- Moderated by Dan Jacobs, Principal, CD&R
- Dan Bell, CEO & Co-founder, Agri-Cycle Energy
- John Garnett, SVP, Technical, Sustainability & Innovation, Charter Next Generation
- Lauren Wilk, Head of Global Government Affairs and Sustainability, Arconic

***The Golden Thread: Demonstrating Fiduciary Alignment Through Tangible Value Creation***

- Moderated by Mackenzie Drutowski, Partner, Kirkland & Ellis
- Karishma Ahuja, Vice President, Responsible Investment, Madison Dearborn Partners

***Sustainability-linked Value Creation as an Investment Imperative***

- Moderated by Julia Fish, Managing Director, Glenmede
- Dan Ahmed, Sustainable Investments, CALPERS
- Jeffrey Warshauer, Corporate Governance Officer, Head of Investment Stewardship & ESG Integration at New Jersey Division of Investment
- Jimmy Yan, Head of ESG Integration, NYC Comptroller's Office

***The ROI on Investing in Human Capital***

- Moderated by Rafael Rivera, Principal, Human Capital Center, KKR
- Melissa Clarke, Head of Environment, Health and Safety, Liftwerx
- Tim R. Dowell, Vice President, Health & Safety, Cornerstone Building Brands
- Tom Hodge, Chief Human Resources Officer, Potter Global Technologies

***Decarbonization's Role in Value Preservation and Creation***

- Moderated by Jennifer Flood, Head of Sustainability (North America), Investindustrial
- Cayce Dever, Senior Manager, Sustainability, Caliber Collision
- Linda Wrong, Global Head of Sustainability, Contour Global

**Value Creation Workshops**

- Fundamentals of Implementing ROSI (Return on Sustainability Investment) with Elyse Douglas and Chisara Ehemiere, Senior Scholars, NYU Stern CSB
- De-Risk the Deal: Cost of Inaction & Value at Risk with John Platko, SWCA
- Value for the taking: Why you're missing sustainability's true value - and how to stop with Daniel Aronson, Valutus

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