SLR Consulting, backed by private equity firm Ares Management, remains one of the most active buyers of sustainability- and ESG-focused consulting firms worldwide.
The M&A list (further below) tracks SLR acquisitions, and the stated motivations for each deal. We update the list quite regularly so check back often.
SLR Consulting: Sustainability Business Background
But first, here's a bit about SLR's business history, ownership, leadership and market focus. The company, founded in 1994, is based in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, South East England. The sustainability and environmental consultancy specializes in the built environment, finance, industry, infrastructure, mining & minerals, and power & renewables sectors. SLR has more than 3,000 employees across Europe, the Americas, Asia-Pacific and Africa.
Private equity firm Ares Management acquired SLR Consulting from Charterhouse Capital Partners in 2022. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Charterhouse had owned a majority stake in SLR Consulting since 2018. SLR hired Worley veteran Bradley Andrews to succeed co-founder Neil Penhall as CEO in 2023.
SLR Consulting: List of 2024 Acquisitions
SLR Consulting has acquired the following sustainability consultancies in 2024 (so far):
- November: Robertson GeoConsultants (RGC), a global consulting firm that specializes in mine water characterization, geochemistry and acid rock drainage/metal leaching, hydrology, hydrogeology and groundwater modellng for the mining industry, the buyer said. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
- October: Wardell Armstrong, an Environmental, Engineering and Mining consultancy operating in the United Kingdom and internationally. Wardell Armstrong, founded in 1837, has been carbon neutral since 2020, the seller asserts.
- October: Malk Partners, an environmental, social and governance (ESG) advisory firm in New York. Malk, founded in 2009, specializes in sustainability management services to private market investors and their portfolio companies. Malk’s expertise spans private equity, growth equity, venture capital, credit, real estate, and infrastructure asset classes, the buyer said.
- September: MacArthur Green, a hUK-based environmental consultancy that serves the renewable energy sector -- particularly the onshore and offshore sectors. MacArthur Green has roughly 45 emploees.
- July: Cumberland Ecology, which specializes in all areas of environmental assessment and management. Cumberland Ecology employs roughly 22 ecologists, biologists, zoologists and GIS specialists across New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia. They serve such sectors as energy, infrastructure, built environment and mining.
- June: Alchemy Growth Partners of Sydney, Australia. Alchemy assists customers with growth, sustainability and digital innovation strategies.
- June: SGA, an environmental consultancy in Santiago. Chile. SGA’s team of 170 consultants specializes in the mining, energy and infrastructure sectors. Key customers, according to SGA, include include Aguas Andinas, Aguas Pacifico, Anglo American, BHP, Collahuasi, Codelco, Conexión, Enel, Engie, Eramet, GNL Quintero, Glencore, Interchile and SIMCO.
- February: Groundwork Plus, a 60-person consultancy with offices and laboratories across Queensland and South Australia. Key areas of expertise span geoscience, environmental science, planning and development consultancy services. The company serves such sectors as essential construction materials, mining, land use development, power generation and waste management sectors across Australia.
- February: FRC Environmental (FRC), an 18-person consultancy in Cleveland, Australia (a bayside suburb east of Brisbane). FTC specializes in aquatic ecology -- spanning freshwater, estuarine and marine environments.
- January: ITPEnergised, a UK-based consultancy focused on the renewable energy sector. ITPEnergised has over 100 team members across the UK and overseas. In addition to consulting services, ITPEnergised developed a digital platform called Net Zero Accelerator. The platform includes tools to "evaluate investments in a range of low carbon technologies to accelerate the Net Zero transition," the company says.
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