SAN FRANCISCO & NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Cleantech Group, a leading market intelligence and advisory firm focused on innovation, and LRN, a company that helps corporations foster ethical, winning cultures and inspire principled performance in their operations, today announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement to merge Cleantech Group and GreenOrder, formerly a sustainability strategy consulting subsidiary of LRN. LRN will become a major shareholder and long-term partner in the combined company—under a broad new partnership agreement that will extend the reach of both LRN and the newly formed firm. Additional financial details of the transaction were not disclosed.
“Leading enterprises are increasingly trying to understand how sustainability challenges will impact their growth and profitability, and they are looking for innovative technologies and business models to turn those challenges into opportunities,” said Sheeraz Haji, CEO of Cleantech Group and the CEO of the newly formed company. “By joining forces, Cleantech Group and GreenOrder will be uniquely positioned to assist executives in both developing strategies that address sustainability issues, as well as sourcing the innovative technologies, partnerships, and investments that will transform these strategies into reality.”
“As a major shareholder and close business partner, LRN is inspired by the way this new company will reinforce our commitment to environmental sustainability,” said LRN’s founder and CEO, Dov Seidman. “Culture as a deliberate strategy for resiliency, innovation, and growth is becoming a focus for more of the companies LRN works with, creating significant opportunities for LRN. Together, Cleantech Group and GreenOrder will also yield greater depth and breadth of new knowledge that will help LRN power clients’ sustainability and innovation strategies.”
GreenOrder brings respected management consulting capabilities, along with a deep understanding of how sustainability initiatives can create substantial enterprise value. The combined advisory team will leverage Cleantech Group’s expertise in helping clients identify and adopt leading innovative technologies to address sustainability challenges.
“By uniting the worlds of sustainability and cleantech, we will provide a broad array of data, networking, and advisory services to a joint client roster that includes General Electric, Veolia, Électricité de France (EDF), HP, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and many other leading enterprises, investors, and government agencies,” explained Michael Ellis, Principal of GreenOrder.
“Our clients are operating supply chains and dealing with environmental issues around the world,” stated Truman Semans, Principal of GreenOrder. “Leveraging Cleantech Group’s global footprint and unparalleled network, our new firm will be well positioned to navigate the regulatory and business climates that organizations are facing at both the international and local level.”
The new company will have a powerful data and knowledge management foundation anchored by i3, Cleantech Group’s market intelligence platform that provides insight into transactions, companies, and partnerships. Joint clients will also benefit from Cleantech Group Forums and Executive Summits, where key corporate leaders, policy makers, investors, entrepreneurs, and industry influencers regularly gather to examine trends, source new investments, and forge strategic relationships.
“Corporations need an integrated view of complex resource issues and their impact on business performance,” said Hank Habicht, Managing Partner at SAIL Capital Partners and former Deputy Administrator (COO) at the U.S. EPA. “The impressive teams coming together in this merger have proven their ability to add significant value to clients over the past ten years. The merger combines a disruptive market intelligence platform and the premier global event series with premier consulting services, creating a firm uniquely positioned to help the world's largest companies in the decade ahead.”
Three major offices—San Francisco, New York, and London—and a network of partners in regions around the world will provide the company the ability to support its global customer base and maintain the broadest visibility on cleantech innovation.
The transaction is expected to close in October 2012.
About Cleantech Group
Cleantech Group’s market intelligence, events and advisory services accelerate market adoption, stimulate demand, and remove barriers to cleantech innovation. A global company with offices in North America and Europe, we connect business leaders with cleantech innovation through the i3 Platform, the most comprehensive, vetted, up-to-date source for insights into companies, investors, financing and relationships across the clean technology ecosystem. Cleantech Group also produces the premier Cleantech Forum® and Focus™ events worldwide. Details at http://www.cleantech.com.
About LRN
Since 1994, LRN has helped over 20 million people at more than 700 companies worldwide, simultaneously navigate complex legal and regulatory environments, foster ethical, winning cultures, and inspire principled performance in their operations. LRN’s combination of practical tools, education and strategic advice helps companies translate their values into concrete corporate practices and leadership behaviors that create sustainable competitive advantage. In partnership with LRN, companies need not choose between living principles and maximizing profits, or between enhancing reputation and growing revenue: all are a product of principled performance. LRN works with organizations in more than 100 countries, and has offices in New York, Los Angeles, London and Mumbai. For more information, visit www.lrn.com.
About GreenOrder
GreenOrder is a strategy and management consulting firm founded in 2000 that helps companies gain competitive advantage through environmental innovation. Called “the go-to consulting firm for green business” by Fortune, the company’s groundbreaking work has demonstrated that environmental leadership can be a driver of billion-dollar growth. GreenOrder is headquartered in New York City, with offices in Washington, D.C. and San Francisco. GreenOrder offers practical tools that help companies integrate environmental values throughout an organization. For more information, visit www.greenorder.com.