This award recognises impact investors and their commitment to supporting businesses that are really making a difference. Judges will look at overall performance of the firm, including exit returns and portfolio growth. This category is for firms whose investment strategy is focused entirely on impact investing.

This award recognises dedicated impact funds (the fund needs to be at least 50% realised) run by mainstream private equity houses. Judges will look at the fund’s overall performance, standout deals and its ability to deliver both financial and impact returns for its investors. This category is for firms who have many types of fund but have a registered Article 9 impact fund worth celebrating.

This award recognises a firm’s commitment to best practice in environmental, social and corporate governance. Judges will look at how ESG is integrated within the firm’s investment strategy, how ESG data is collected, analysed and reported, and how the firm’s ESG policies stand out from its peers. The guideline average EV on entry for this category is over €500m.

This award recognises a firm’s commitment to best practice in environmental, social and corporate governance. Judges will look at how ESG is integrated within the firm’s investment strategy, how ESG data is collected, analysed and reported, and how the firm’s ESG policies stand out from its peers. The guideline average EV on entry for this category is €25m-€500m.

This award recognises a firm’s commitment to best practice in environmental, social and corporate governance. Judges will look at how ESG is integrated within the firm’s investment strategy, how ESG data is collected, analysed and reported, and how the firm’s ESG policies stand out from its peers. The guideline average EV on entry for this category is under €25m.

This award recognises how a firm has made a significant impact on a portfolio company’s environmental efforts and improvements. Judges will focus on the entire lifecycle of the deal, and how the firm integrated environmental and sustainable improvements throughout. Entries must relate to companies still in portfolio or exited within the last 12 months.

This award recognises how a firm has made a significant impact on a portfolio company’s social efforts and improvements. Judges will focus on the entire lifecycle of the deal, and how the firm integrated social improvements throughout. Entries must relate to companies still in portfolio or exited within the last 12 months.

This award recognises a sector-focused private equity firm that has achieved strong ESG outcomes across their organisation. Judges will look at how ESG is integrated within your firm’s investment strategy, how ESG data is collected, analysed and reported, as well as how your ESG policies stand out from your peers. This category is open to firms who invest in single sectors.

This award recognises an institutional investor’s commitment to best practice in environmental, social and corporate governance. Judges will look at how the investor supports ESG efforts and best practices across its private equity managers, and how its policies stand out from its peers.

This award recognises commitment to best practice in environmental, social and corporate governance by a fund of funds. Judges will look at how the investor supports ESG efforts and best practices across its private equity managers, and how its policies stand out from its peers’.

This award recognises a secondaries investor’s commitment to best practice in environmental, social and corporate governance. Judges will look at how the investor supports ESG efforts and best practices across their private equity managers, and how its policies stand out from its peers’.

This award recognises the success of ESG advisory professionals in supporting the private equity community. The judges will look at demonstrable customer and revenue growth, as well as how new initiatives, products or services have aided the business and helped their clients since January 2023.

This award recognises the success of placement agents in supporting the private equity community with ESG-related fundraising. The judges will look at demonstrable customer and revenue growth, as well as how new initiatives, products or services have aided the business and helped their clients since January 2023.

This award recognises the success of fund administrators in supporting the private equity community in ESG compliance, reporting and ESG portfolio monitoring. The judges will look at demonstrable customer and revenue growth, as well as how new initiatives, products or services have aided the business and helped its clients since January 2023.

This award is designed to reward firms displaying excellence in ESG technology. The judges will look at demonstrable customer and revenue growth, as well as how new initiatives, products or services have aided the business and helped its clients since January 2023.

This award is designed to reward firms displaying excellence in ESG due diligence. The judges will look at demonstrable customer and revenue growth, as well as how new initiatives, products or services have aided the business and helped its clients since January 2023.

This award recognises the success of ESG legal professionals in advising the private equity community. The judges will look at demonstrable customer and revenue growth, as well as how new initiatives, products or services have aided the business and helped its clients since January 2023.

This award is designed to reward firms displaying excellence in providing ESG data services. The judges will look at demonstrable customer and revenue growth, as well as detailed overviews of how new initiatives, products or services have aided the business and helped its clients since January 2023.

This award recognises the success that fund lenders have had integrating ESG into their products and working with the private equity community. The judges will look at demonstrable customer and revenue growth, as well as how new initiatives, products or services have aided the business and helped its clients since January 2023.

This award recognises the success that banks have had integrating ESG into their products and working with the private equity community. The judges will look at demonstrable customer and revenue growth, as well as how new initiatives, products or services have aided the business and helped its clients since January 2023.

This award recognises the contribution of corporate financiers advising on UK deals since January 2023. The award will be given to the firm that can demonstrate how it has provided strategic and technical support on ESG to help clients to win auctions and add genuine value on exit. Growth of market share, deals advised on and overall evolution of team and strategy will also be taken into account.

The Hall of Fame recognises the contribution of an ESG leader within private equity. This includes their ability to work collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders, successful buy-in of ESG within their firm and the implementation of strategies within their portfolio companies.

The winner of this award is selected by the Real Deals Editorial Team rather than by nomination.