New year-long initiative will bring responsible investment professionals together through informal, invite-only wellbeing events, with no sales pitches, designed to encourage collaboration and inspire new thinking across private equity sustainability teams.
ESG technology and advisory firm Flotilla Group has committed a five-figure investment to a new Responsible Investment Gathering series, designed to create more opportunities for responsible investment and sustainability professionals working in private equity to connect, share knowledge and inspire new ideas and innovation among their peers.
The initiative will move away from the traditional conference and networking format, with a programme of monthly, invite-only gatherings. Rather than presentations, panels or sales pitches, the series will focus on creating relaxed, wellbeing-focused environments where peers can have open conversations about the challenges, opportunities and changes shaping responsible investment in private markets.
Events will range from Reformer Pilates breakfast clubs to a new private equity padel club, alongside other social and active formats throughout the year, combining wellbeing with meaningful discussion and fresh thinking.
John Rastrick, CEO of Flotilla Group, said:
“ESG professionals are tired of attending the same traditional industry events, where the focus so often returns to presentations and sales pitches. We felt there was a real appetite for something different: informal, energising spaces where people can connect as peers without being sold to.
Responsible investment teams within private equity are often relatively small, but they’re being asked to navigate an increasingly complex agenda. That makes having a strong peer network incredibly valuable. We wanted to create spaces where people can genuinely talk openly about what they’re working through, exchange ideas and experiences they can take back into their own firms, and hopefully spark new thinking and innovation that helps advance ESG across the industry.
That’s why we’re making a significant investment in the series, where there’s deliberately no presentation or sales agenda. Whether we’re bringing people together over Pilates, padel or another activity, the aim is to make collaboration feel natural, and hopefully make responsible investment roles feel a little less siloed in the process.”
The gatherings will be supported by exclusive follow-up insight for attendees, drawing on Flotilla’s wider private equity network and expertise to share relevant regulatory developments, emerging themes and practical learnings across the market.
The series will run for a minimum of 12 months, with new events announced throughout the year. Whilst Flotilla will proactively invite professionals from responsible investment and sustainability teams across the private equity industry, those interested in attending future gatherings can register their interest by emailing events@flotillagroup.com to join the waitlist.
