Sustainability Consultancy M&A: ERM Acquires Coho

ERM, which positions itself as the world’s largest pure play sustainability consultancy, has acquired Coho, a global advisory firm that helps customers to reach their climate change, renewable energy and water resiliency goals. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Related: See all M&A deals involving ESG and sustainability consulting firms here.

ERM, based in London, United Kingdom, had more than 9,000 employees listed on LinkedIn as of February 2023. ERM helps customers to develop sustainable products and supply chains that ultimately align with sustainable economy strategies. The company advises on:

• Corporate sustainability and climate change
• Mergers and acquisitions (M&A)
• Capital project delivery
• Low carbon economy transitions
• Operational performance
• EHS management and compliance
• Liability portfolio management and remediation
• Safety services
• Digital services
• Product stewardship

Coho, based in Bethesda, Maryland, had 52 employees listed on LinkedIn. Coho helps roughly 60 companies to contract for approximately 7 million MWhs of renewable energy annually. That's enough to power over 650,000 homes and drive $5 billion-plus of new investment in renewable energy projects, according to Coho information on LinkedIn.

In a prepared statement about the deal, Susan Angyal, regional CEO for North America at ERM, said: “At a time when commitments such as the Inflation Reduction Act present a historic opportunity to build a new clean energy economy, we are delighted to welcome Coho’s specialist climate, renewable energy and water consulting expertise to ERM. We’re looking forward to working with the team to develop and implement customizable and cost-effective solutions aimed at helping our clients to achieve their sustainability goals.” 

Concluded Gary Farha, founder and CEO at Coho: “At this pivotal point in our evolution, we are looking forward to accelerating our impact on the market and climate. Through joining ERM we are expanding the reach of our services globally, to both new and existing clients. This is an exciting time for our team to further develop, personally and professionally, by joining the market leader in the business of sustainability.”