European expansion builds on successful inaugural program with Columbia University
LONDON, March 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- CD&R (the "Firm") today announced the expansion of its Climate Leadership Program to Europe through a new partnership with Imperial College Business School's Leonardo Centre on Business for Society. The program will serve senior executives from CD&R's portfolio companies and its wider ecosystem, with the aim of accelerating the Firm's use of sustainability as a value creation lever.
The European expansion builds on the success of the inaugural Climate Leadership Program launched in 2025 in partnership with the Columbia Climate School at Columbia University in the City of New York. The Columbia-based program will run again this year, welcoming a second cohort of executives from across CD&R's network.
The Climate Leadership Program is designed to help senior leaders strengthen their capabilities, networks and understanding of how climate and sustainability considerations can be translated into disciplined risk management, operational improvement and durable value creation. Through a combination of in-person and virtual sessions, participants engage with leading academic experts and industry practitioners on scientific, policy, operational and financial dimensions of climate-related challenges and opportunities. The program emphasizes practical application, including tailored projects, to help participants drive measurable operational and financial outcomes within their organisations.
The partnership with Imperial College Business School's Leonardo Centre on Business for Society brings the program to Europe for the first time, enabling deeper engagement with CD&R's European portfolio companies and faster deployment of value-creating practices across CD&R's transatlantic footprint.
"At Imperial Business School we focus on advancing rigorous research and practical solutions that help businesses translate sustainability into stronger strategy, improved performance, and long-standing impact," said Maurizio Zollo, Scientific Director of Imperial's Leonardo Centre. "We are pleased to partner with CD&R to embed sustainability into decision making and execution with a view toward creating strategic advantage for portfolio companies and investors."
"We are delighted to extend our Climate Leadership Program to Europe in partnership with Imperial College Business School, while continuing our collaboration with Columbia University in the U.S.," said Dave Novak, Co-President of CD&R. "Sustainability is increasingly embedded in the core strategy of our portfolio companies - driving productivity, strengthening resilience, and enhancing competitive positioning, all of which create value. By expanding this program, we are investing in high-performing leaders and equipping them to translate climate innovation, regulation, and complexity into disciplined execution and long-term enterprise value."
The Firm reports annually on its efforts to support healthy, resilient businesses in its CD&R Sustainability Report. This year's programs at Imperial and Columbia will welcome executives from across CD&R's portfolio companies, industry sectors and functional areas to foster cross-sector collaboration and shared learning.
About Imperial College Business School
We are Imperial - a world-leading university for science, technology, engineering, medicine and business (STEMB), where scientific imagination leads to world-changing impact.
As a global top ten university in London, we use science to try to understand more of the universe and improve the lives of more people in it. We work on some of the world's toughest challenges in global health, climate change, AI, business leadership and more.
Founded in 1907, Imperial's future builds on a distinguished past, having pioneered penicillin, holography and fibre optics. Today, Imperial combines exceptional teaching, world-class facilities and a habit of interdisciplinary practice to unlock scientific imagination.
Leonardo Centre on Business for Society is a cross-faculty Centre of Excellence partnering with businesses, financial sector and international institutions. Our mission is to produce research insights applied to accelerate business transition towards a regenerative and inclusive economy.
About Columbia Climate School
To address the urgent challenges facing our planet, the Columbia Climate School was launched in 2020 to educate future climate leaders, support groundbreaking research and foster essential solutions. Climate School Executive Education and Non-Degree programs bring the research and educational resources of Columbia University's Climate School to promote action building upon its academic work and evidence-based analysis and advice to inform decisions, as well as policy-making in communities, governments, industries, and nonprofits in the US and globally.
About CD&R
Founded in 1978, CD&R is a private investment firm with a strategy of generating strong investment returns by building more robust and sustainable businesses through the combination of skilled investment experience and deep operating capabilities. In partnership with the management teams of its portfolio companies, CD&R takes a long-term view of value creation and emphasizes effective stewardship and resilience. The firm invests in businesses that span a broad range of industries, including industrial, healthcare, consumer, technology and financial services end markets. CD&R is privately owned by its partners and has offices in New York and London. For more information, please visit www.cdr-inc.com and follow the firm's activities through LinkedIn.
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