Investment to help to accelerate and meet increasing demands for high-quality nature-based solutions projects with strong environmental and societal co-benefits
Paris, France, Oct. 06, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Paris, France [October 6, 2022] - PUR Projet ("PUR" or the "Company"), a leading global nature-based solutions ("NbS") project developer, and Bregal Investments ("Bregal"), an international private equity platform, today announced a strategic partnership and majority investment by Bregal into the Company. The investment will enable PUR to accelerate its growth, further develop its operations, and support the scaling of natural climate solutions globally - working with nature to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions whilst generating multiple environmental and societal co-benefits.
"Humanity is facing an unprecedented climate crisis and investing in nature is an essential part of the solution," said Tristan Lecomte, Founder of PUR Projet. "This crisis is bigger than us. Bregal's investment in PUR will help us scale nature-based solutions projects worldwide and further strengthen the impact that we have on the communities we partner with across the globe."
Founded in 2008, PUR is a certified B Corp and a pioneer in the development of "insetting" - working with clients to develop NbS projects within their supply chain which are designed to sequester and store carbon emissions whilst creating positive impacts for communities and the ecosystems they inhabit. The Company has partnered with corporates and leading brands, implementing over fifty projects to date, with a particular focus on agroforestry and regenerative agriculture within coffee, cocoa, and other commodity supply chains globally.
Designed in close partnership with local communities, PUR's NbS projects aim to maintain and restore essential ecosystem services, improve community resilience through capacity building and income diversification activities, and support essential climate mitigation efforts. Through these projects, the Company has supported more than 50,000 farmers in rural areas across six continents; worked with communities to restore and preserve over 300,000 hectares of land; and planted over 20 million new trees.
"Making capital work for the good of people and the planet is a societal imperative," said Alain Carrier, CEO of Bregal. "As a firm, responsible and sustainable investment practices are a core part of our investment philosophy, and we are excited to be partnering with a mission-driven company such as PUR, as the first step on our journey to launching a dedicated impact platform - Bregal Sphere."
"Our partnership with Bregal comes at a crucial point in PUR's journey, as we seek to strengthen our global project portfolio and create better impact while allowing more precise measurements (biodiversity, water, soil, livelihoods)," said Alexandre Schouler, Managing Director of PUR. "There is a clear need for companies to take ambitious climate action and we are excited to support leading corporates to achieve their Net Zero strategies, through nature-based interventions."
Bregal's investment in PUR will aim to help scale the global development and deployment of high-quality NbS projects and support efforts to address the significant financing gap for nature and biodiversity. Going forward, the Bregal Sphere platform will look to deploy targeted capital to help address key societal and environmental challenges in a responsible and sustainable way.
About PUR Projet
PUR Projet ("PUR") is a leading international developer of high-quality nature-based solutions ("NbS") projects, with a 14-year track record of field-based project development. Headquartered in Paris, France, and employing 150 people globally, PUR have 40 projects across 30 countries, with regional offices in Canada, Colombia, Peru, Ivory Coast, Thailand, China and Indonesia. The Company's vision is to be "One with Nature" and their strategy is particularly focused on reconciling companies with the ecosystems they depend upon through NBS in-setting projects and other high integrity climate projects - utilising the latest monitoring, reporting and verification technologies.
About Bregal Investments
Bregal Investments ("Bregal") is a leading private equity investment firm providing a platform for its family of direct investment and fund-of-funds teams. Bregal manages over €14 billion in assets across its strategies and has closed over 150 direct investments and invested in more than 200 funds. The Bregal family of funds focuses on long-term sustainable value creation and provides access to private equity, growth equity, credit, and fund-of-fund strategies. Headquartered in London and New York, Bregal has over 200 employees across its eight offices.
Bregal Investments was founded in 2002 and is the private equity platform of COFRA Holding, a privately held group headquartered in Switzerland, with a clear mission to be a force for good through business.
For more information about Bregal Investments, visit www.bregal.comor follow us on LinkedIn.
For more information about Bregal Sphere, visit www.bregalsphere.com.
