GreenCollar CEO will continue to lead the company
Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan (Ontario Teachers’) and KKR, a global investment firm, have announced the completion of a definitive agreement in which Ontario Teachers’ acquires KKR’s stake and the stakes of other shareholders in GreenCollar, an Australian environmental markets platform. The terms of the deal remain undisclosed.
Ontario Teachers’ initially invested in GreenCollar in March 2022. This marks Ontario Teachers' deeper involvement with GreenCollar, with its CEO and co-founder, James Schultz, continuing to lead the company.
“We are pleased to increase our investment in GreenCollar and to continue supporting James and his team in their mission to restore and enhance natural capital in areas like biodiversity and water quality,” said Christopher Metrakos, senior managing director, natural resources at Ontario Teachers’.
“GreenCollar is a proven leader in delivering positive environmental outcomes with market-based solutions and we are excited to continue supporting the company in its next chapter of growth in Australia and beyond. We’d like to thank the team at KKR for their support and partnership on this investment.”
KKR's initial investment in GreenCollar occurred in 2020 as part of its Global Impact strategy, which focuses on companies contributing to measurable progress towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As a certified B corporation and provider of environmental initiatives combatting climate change, GreenCollar directly contributes to SDG 13 (Climate Action) and supports other sustainable goals, such as SDG 15 (Life on Land) and SDG 14 (Life Below Water).
“We look forward to our deepening relationship and collaboration with Ontario Teachers’ and tapping into their knowledge and expertise in the natural resources sector. We also want to extend our sincere gratitude to KKR for their support and commitment over past few years,” Schultz said.
“GreenCollar is a great example of a solutions-oriented business that KKR looks to support through our Global Impact strategy, addressing some of the world’s biggest challenges such as climate change,” said George Aitken, managing director and head of KKR Global Impact, Asia Pacific.
“Together with James, Ontario Teachers’ and the whole team at GreenCollar, we have made great strides in advancing GreenCollar’s important mission,” he said. “It’s been a fantastic journey.”
The transaction is expected to be finalized in the fourth quarter of 2023, subject to regulatory approvals.
