This new acquisition expands ERM’s sustainability consulting capabilities in continental Europe and further reinforces the company’s position as the global market leader in pure-play sustainability consulting.
Sustainalize works with businesses to measure, disclose and respond to ESG (environmental, social and governance) issues and challenges. The company supports clients on strategy development and execution, implementation, external reporting and impact measurement across a broad range of sustainability topics, including climate change, biodiversity loss, the availability of resources, diversity and equality, human rights and governance.
The significant strengthening of ERM’s existing sustainability advisory capabilities and capacity through this acquisition will see clients benefitting from enhanced sustainability reporting and disclosure services as well as strategy and impact measurement services in Europe and globally.
Sustainalize employs approximately 30 people mainly in the Netherlands, as well as in Belgium and Germany, who will now join ERM. Justus Koek and Nick de Ruiter founded the company in 2010 and will join the ERM partnership. Arco ten Klooster decided not to join ERM, but he will still be available for Sustainalize on a part-time basis. Sustainalize has a client base of nearly 200 organizations, across a range of different sectors from technology, banking and finance, to retail, aviation and government.
ERM has significantly extended its strategic corporate sustainability and climate change solutions worldwide in recent years and the acquisition of Sustainalize will build on previous acquisitions including BrownFlynn in 2018, SustainAbility in 2019, Critical Resource in 2020 and Michael J Bradley & Associates in 2020. The creation of the SustainAbility Institute by ERM, also builds on the exceptional thought leadership and convening platform developed by SustainAbility. Launched in 2020, the Institute is ERM’s primary platform for thought leadership on sustainability.