Five Seasons Ventures is a venture capital firm based in Europe, dedicated to investing in the future of food and agriculture. With a strong commitment to sustainability, the firm seeks to back companies that drive positive environmental and health impacts alongside financial returns. Novata sat down with Gaetan Kerloc’h, Head of Impact at Five Seasons Ventures, to learn about his role, the importance of ESG, and the outcomes he’s seeing after implementing Novata’s software.
Our Conversation with Gaetan Kerloc’h
What is your role at Five Seasons Ventures, and what do your responsibilities entail?
As the Head of Impact at Five Seasons Ventures, my role is all about making sure our investments are not just profitable but also positive for health and/or the environment. This means embedding sustainability principles into everything we do, from screening potential investments to working with our portfolio companies to boost their sustainability practices.
What sparked your interest in the ESG/sustainability space?
My entry point into the world of sustainability was food. I became vegetarian eight years ago when I learned about the environmental impact of meat. Then my interest grew stronger as I saw the real-world effects of climate change: I remember seeing a glacier melt in front of my eyes and realizing it was not normal at all.
Why is ESG important to you and your firm?
First and foremost, sustainability is good business. Everyone is moving in that direction: European regulators, consumers, corporates, job seekers, and this trend will only increase as the effect of climate change will get stronger.
I also want to acknowledge and give credit to our LPs and the founders of Five Seasons, who, in 2018, understood that sustainability leadership was the right choice.
What challenges were you facing in managing ESG within your firm before finding a software solution?
All heads of ESG/Impact face a cycle of data collection and reporting in H1. LP requests are increasing, as are regulations requirements (e.g., SFDR, CSRD). I didn’t take on this job to focus on compliance, but to change the industry practices. So having a software solution to streamline our efforts is very valuable.
How did you research and evaluate potential software solutions for ESG management, and what factors were most important to you decision-making process?
When we began searching for an ESG management software, our main priorities were ease of use and bringing value to the portfolio companies (through benchmarks, guidelines, templates…). We also valued strong customer support and the ability to integrate with our existing systems.
What benefits are you hoping to see after implementing software?
Since implementing Novata in January, our data collection has significantly improved. The way we collect, analyze, and report ESG data is more accurate and consistent. Reporting is faster, and we can provide better feedback to our portfolio companies on their sustainability performance.
What advice would you give to others in your industry who are just starting to incorporate ESG factors into their firm’s strategy?
If you’re just starting out with ESG, my biggest piece of advice is to seek inspiration from other funds and use their tools and templates. We don’t need new funds inventing new methodologies; we need more commitments, more action, and more engagement.
