Ransom Langford is a Partner at TPG Growth based in New York, where he leads the platform’s investments in industrials and business services. Prior to joining TPG in 2009, Ransom was a Partner at J.H. Whitney & Co. and an Associate at Brentwood Associates. Ransom graduated Phi Beta Kappa as a Morehead Scholar from the University of North Carolina and holds an MBA with Honors from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He currently sits on the Boards of Artel, ClearResult Consulting, Denali Water Solutions, Keter Environmental Services, Tenth Revolution Group, HALO Branded Solutions, Morrow Sodali, Seasoned, Superior Industries, P/S, and People2.0.
How did ESG considerations come into your decision to invest in Morrow Sodali?
ESG has become a critically important consideration for us in the investment decision making process. Morrow Sodali really stood out as being at the forefront of ESG, both at the firm level and in the company’s offering. It is uniquely positioned to help its clients address the challenges posed by both ESG reporting and ESG communications.
What is it in Morrow Sodali’s expertise that anchors its ability to advise on ESG?
Morrow Sodali has been assisting public companies for decades with shareholder communications. A decade ago, for the primary need for most companies was strategic advice on governance matters. In the years since, the “E” and the “S” have risen dramatically in importance. Institutional investors and retail investors are now asking public companies to engage in a conversation on their environmental stewardship and their goals for addressing social issues. Every public company is at a different point in its ESG journey and Morrow Sodali has both the experience and expertise to support its clients every step of the way.
Why is it important that Morrow Sodali operates globally?
Morrow Sodali has a unique place in its own ecosystem. It’s one of the very few truly global platforms that is well-positioned to assist public companies with shareholder engagement across multiple markets. This is particularly important in the world of ESG reporting in which the expectations for addressing ESG factors, fulfilling certain ESG disclosures, and communicating with shareholders about each of them can differ across the various countries and regulatory jurisdictions.
What does all this mean for helping companies with shareholder engagement?
In advising its clients to achieve more thoughtful shareholder engagement, Morrow Sodali helps create a more constructive and more friendly group of shareholders. If a company fails or mismanages that engagement, the cost can be high. Morrow Sodali works closely with its clients to make shareholder engagement both easier and more productive. Ultimately it is about demonstrating to companies that they can be more successful and efficient in the long-run if they take the time to be proactive -- rather than reactive -- with their shareholder base.
What trends within ESG does Morrow Sodali help companies with today?
What Morrow Sodali has done in its 50 years is build the trust among key decision makers in the organization including the chief financial and chief legal officers and the heads of investor relations. Morrow Sodali provides a high level of thought leadership around how companies can better navigate the shifting landscape of ESG reporting, which remains both highly fragmented and constantly evolving. Until ESG measurement and reporting becomes more commonplace for corporations, they can benefit deeply from Morrow Sodali’s expertise.
How does Morrow Sodali’s work in ESG connect with its other services for corporations?
When you put these strategic advisory services together, you see that they all play a vital role in helping public companies connect with shareholders. This is relevant to everything from the annual election of directors to the appointment of auditors, but also in advising companies on M&A and activism. It’s a unique expertise set and enormously valuable today, given the myriad of challenges companies are facing.