As the UK consultancy looks to expand across Europe, Simply Sustainable has obtained new funding from Agathos Management. The investment will be deployed to help the consultancy reach new clients and markets.
Agathos Management, a lower mid-market private equity firm, has completed a majority investment into Simply Sustainable. This presents the third platform investment from Agathos Fund II, and presents the consultancy with a significant opportunity to build on the growth it has enjoyed across the UK and mainland Europe in recent years.
Founded in 2010, Simply Sustainable helps clients to align value with sustainability and ESG journeys. With offices in London and Berkhamsted, the firm has become recognised as a thought leader in the sector, with technically qualified consultants who wield deep expertise – and earlier in 2022, it also added its first international presence in Amsterdam.
As the firm looks to kick on from this success, the new backing from Agathos Management will look to take its offering to the next level. CEO Nicola Stopps noted that Simply Sustainable was “extremely proud” of what it has achieved on its own, but only work “in partnership” can help it deliver the greatest level of change possible.
Stopps added, “Simply Sustainable was established with a desire to make it easy for businesses to act sustainably and create easy to follow pathways. Businesses are arguably the most powerful players in the planet’s future, and we believe in positive corporate action. We know that with added strategic support from Agathos, who share our values, we’ll be able to deliver even more of a positive impact for our clients, the environment and society.”
Agathos’s investment into Simply Sustainable initiates a strategic growth plan to align a number of service lines and delivery channels, providing the market with an integrated, end-to-end sustainability services proposition. The business will pursue a dual track organic and acquisition strategy with support from Agathos. The resulting group will be quality-led, providing customers with a full suite of sustainability services.
Hugh Costello, Partner at Agathos, remarked, “From our very first meeting we have been impressed by Nicola’s vision for Simply Sustainable, her evident commitment to making a positive impact and by the business that she has built over the last 12 years. We are thrilled to be partnering with Nicola and the wider team. We look forward to building quality-led scale with Nicola and the team whilst continuing to deliver an outstanding service proposition for clients.”
Graham Love (ex-SLR and QinetiQ), will join as group Chairman from completion, adding significant knowledge and expertise to the Simply Sustainable management team – stating that Simply Sustainable “operates in a great space with significant potential for both organic and inorganic growth.” Meanwhile, Katie Beck will also join the Board at completion.
Dealmakers
Simply Sustainable was advised by Caldey Corporate Finance (corporate finance) and Penningtons Manches Cooper (legal and tax). Buyer Agathos was meanwhile advised by RSM (financial), Baringa (commercial), Continuum (organisational), BDO (tax structuring), and Stephenson Harwood (legal).
