Narrative-driven ESG and Investor Communications

ABOUT LIBRARY AVE

 

From Alternative Investment, For Alternative Investment

 

Library Ave Consulting occupies a critical yet absent advisory niche: ESG and Investor Communications programs driven by investment strategy and core differentiators, not templated products. With nearly two decades in the alternative investment space, Library Ave understands the critical GP-LP-portfolio triangle and links these stakeholders with value-add, best-in-class ESG programs and IR communications.  With a vast global network and experience through a variety of sectors, Library Ave delivers customized ESG and communications solutions powered by intimate knowledge of international frameworks (PRI, GRI, GRESB, ILPA, SASB/VRF, CDP, etc) and the demands of the industry’s most prominent institutional investors.

 Library Ave was founded by Lauren Winkler, a seasoned alternative investment industry executive who was among one of the early voices in private equity communications and ESG.  From a deep background in corporate messaging, strategy design, brand and website development, Lauren has served clients at the GP and portfolio company levels, as well as LPs and industry consultants.  Having come from within the alternative investment arena, her expertise bridges Branding, Investor Relations, Communications, and Responsible Investment in a way unlike any other advisory.

 

$109

Billion AUM Impacted

74

GP Funds Served

328

PortCos Enhanced

18

Years PE Experience

15

Sectors/Industries

 

WHAT WE DO

 

Delivering Custom ESG and Investor Communication Solutions

Founder and Managing Partner, Lauren Winkler

 

Investment management firms and their portfolio companies put much effort into promoting differentiated, methodical investment strategies. Critical business programs like ESG and Investor Communications should be approached with the same intent and same desire for performance.

Library Ave’s work is adaptable and custom-fit, delivering necessary program fundamentals for clients in a nascent stage of these areas, roadmapping next steps for clients in the “middle innings,” or designing advanced KPIs and initiatives for more developed participants

 
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ESG ADVISORY

  • ESG Program Support at varying entry points / maturity levels

    • Program Audits and Deficiency Evaluations

    • Program Roadmaps and Development Planning

    • Implementation and Integration

  • Reporting

  • Annual ESG and Impact Reports

  • Policy Creation

  • Materiality Assessments and KPI Design

  • Industry and Framework Alignment

  • Portfolio Company Engagement and Initiatives

 
 
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INVESTOR MATERIALS / COMMUNICATIONS

  • Program Audits and Deficiency Evaluations

  • Strategic Messaging Development

  • Rebranding and Brand Identity Systems

  • Website Content and Design

  • Fund Marketing, Pitchbooks, IR Collateral

  • PPMs / offering documents

  • DDQs

  • Annual Meeting Strategy and Content

  • Quarterly / Annual Investor Communication

ENDORSEMENTS

  • I came to know Lauren through our participation in ESG industry events and a quarterly ESG working group comprising prominent private equity peers. Lauren is a wealth of knowledge on ESG and communications and has been an incredible resource as ESG continues to gain prominence globally. She has been one of the leading voices in ESG and is a trusted source for collaboration on industry trends and best practices. She especially understands how ESG considerations extend to GPs looking to upgrade their ESG programs, portfolio engagement and communications. She is able to leverage her past experience building robust ESG programs and communication strategies across all types of businesses and tailor them to fit the needs and capacities of her clients. She is a great listener, extremely dedicated and organized. She will always execute a project with conviction and accuracy and ensure her clients receive deliverables that are both valuable and scalable.

    SUSTAINABLE INVESTING & ESG, BROWN ADVISORY AND BROOKFIELD ASSET MANAGEMENT

  • Lauren's expertise in private markets makes her a valued advisor to firms looking to meet and/or exceed shifting expectations in the ESG space. With her realist's approach and keen sense of the needs of internal and external stakeholders, she is able to help firms identify existing policies and metrics to be highlighted in the near-term and advise on longer-term goals for measuring and creating impact in the future.

    INVESTOR RELATIONS, IMT CAPITAL

  • Lauren provided strategic brand and ESG consulting services during a year-long rebranding effort that included a significant expansion and repositioning of our ESG platform. I worked with her specifically on the ESG front and was very impressed with her guidance and depth of ESG knowledge as we worked together to clarify our ESG message and create a new framework to communicate our material impacts. This was a complex process that required a deep understanding of how ESG is integrated within our firm. Lauren managed the overall materiality assessment and months of workshopping which resulted in our new framework, and managed the production of the first iteration of our new Environmental and Community Impact Report. Lauren is very personable, focused, and reliable and accommodated a few scope/ deadline twists with grace and efficiency. She is also is a truly gifted communicator and project manager with keen insight in ESG communications and change management. Overall, Lauren added incredible value to our ESG platform.

    DIRECTOR OF ESG, THE GREEN CITIES COMPANY

  • Lauren was recommended to us by our private equity sponsor as a resource with a seasoned perspective framing the energy industry, the investment arena, and the ESG landscape. With a strategy-driven approach, Lauren analyzed Goodnight’s existing achievements towards sustainability and safety, and then worked with us to develop an authentic ESG narrative that is compelling for our stakeholders and will guide Goodnight’s future ESG improvement initiatives. Goodnight has always seen value in a focus on ESG, and Lauren’s work helped define and highlight this important commitment.

    CO-FOUNDER GOODNIGHT MIDSTREAM

  • Lauren is an experienced ESG leader with multiple skills and deep domain knowledge in several areas. She is the only resource I would consider when it comes to messaging and strategy. I’m thrilled to see her bringing this to Library Ave and the PE industry. Lauren has a strong track record in delivering results across multiple GPs and portfolio companies. With strong work ethics, and the right sense of urgency, Lauren is a great partner for any global business. Special mention to Lauren’s knowledge in identifying potential areas for improvement in large/complex organizations and recommending high impact plans to get at the root cause of the issues at hand.

    FOUNDER & MANAGING PARTNER, HYGGE CAPITAL PARNERS

  • Going back to our days together at First Reserve, Lauren’s skills as a communicator have always impressed me. She has a keen understanding of private equity messaging and leadership objectives, and she understands how to balance detail-driven project management with gaining organizational consensus. Having come from within the private equity world, she is an unequaled GP resource for investor communications, branding, ESG, and general marketplace differentiation.

    FOUNDER AND CEO, SUTTON HILL

  • What Tailwater has found in Lauren is not only a great resource, but a value-add partner. From her contributions to our firm messaging to her leadership in taking our ESG program into the future, we have greatly enjoyed and deeply benefitted from the relationship. Her knowledge of the energy and infrastructure space is particularly useful for our firm, though her carefully considered, customized approaches would translate for any sector. With such a broad yet deep skill set, including ESG strategies and implementation, annual meeting content, website development, and communications, Lauren has consistently connected macro themes and investment strategies with concrete deliverables. We enthusiastically recommend her to other private equity firms wishing to strengthen their messaging and advance their ESG positioning.

    INVESTOR RELATIONS, TAILWATER CAPITAL

  • Through our brand strategy and ESG work with Lauren, we sought to streamline our messaging across stakeholders and develop a more comprehensive ESG strategy that built upon our existing initiatives. Lauren quickly became an extension of our team. Drawing on her experiences working at a GP, she had an innate ability to dig deep into our investment strategy to identify themes core to our mission and points of distinction in our approach. Combined with her expertise in ESG related issues, she was instrumental in accelerating our efforts to streamline our narrative while elevating ESG themes integrated into our strategy.

    CHAIRMAN AND CO-CEO, TILIA

Reach Out

E: lauren@libraryave.com
P: +1.617.388.0444