Clayton, Dubilier & Rice Expands Climate Leadership Program to Europe with Imperial College Business School Partnership

20 March 2026 | Friday | News

Collaboration with the Leonardo Centre builds on Columbia Climate School initiative to equip senior executives with tools to turn sustainability into risk management, operational gains, and long-term value creation
Picture Courtesy | Public Domain

Picture Courtesy | Public Domain

CD&R (the "Firm") 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.

 

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