Private equity firm
Ranked as the largest private equity firm in the world in 2015. Bought Accolade Wines in 2018.
Company Assessment
(Last updated Feb 2025)
Praise
Criticism
Information
The Carlyle Group Management LLC
Praise
Criticism
Information
100% on Corporate Equality Index
This company is listed as having best practice on a report card on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality in corporate America.
Source: Human Rights Campaign
(2021)
Defense & Military
The Carlyle Group has investments in several businesses which provide products and services to the US military.
Source: company website
(2018)
Involvement with Burma
This company appears on Burma Campaign UK's 'Dirty List' of companies assisting the Burmese military to continue to commit human rights violations and environmental destruction. Carlyle Group, via its Asian partnership set up a joint venture, AsiaSat, with the Chinese company CITIC. AsiaSat has a contract with the Burmese military to carry the military MWD TV channels for broadcast internationally.
Source: Burma Campaign UK
(2022)
17/100 S&P Global ESG Score
This company received an S&P Global ESG Score of 17/100 in the Diversified Financial Services and Capital Markets category of the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment, an annual evaluation of companies' sustainability practices (last updated 23 Sep 2022). The rankings are based on an analysis of corporate economic, environmental and social performance, assessing issues such as corporate governance, risk management, environmental reporting, climate strategy, human rights and labour practices.
Source: S&P Global
(2022)
8.7% in Financial System Benchmark
The 2025 Financial System Benchmark ranks 400 financial institutions across five distinct measurement areas: Strategy, governance and stewardship, Financing climate and nature protection and restoration, Environmental footprints, Inclusive finance and Responsible business conduct. This company ranked #227/400, with a total score of 8.7 out of 100. The average score was 12.2 and the highest score was 43.
Bottom 10% at JUST Capital
JUST Capital polls Americans every year to identify the issues that matter most in defining just business behaviour. For their 2025 rankings the public identified 17 issues, which are organised under the headings Workers, Communities, Customers, Shareholders and Environment. JUST Capital then define metrics that map to those issues and track and analyse the largest, publicly traded U.S. companies. This analysis powers their rankings, in which this company ranked in the Bottom 10% of 940 companies, and 36th of 39 Capital Markets companies.
Source: JUST Capital
(2025)
4/20 in Social Benchmark
The 2024 Social Benchmark assesses the world's 2,000 most influential companies on their responsibility in meeting society's fundamental expectations towards three measurement areas: respecting human rights, providing decent work, and acting ethically. This company was assessed in 2022 and received a score of 4/20. The average score was an alarmingly low 4.6/20 and the highest score was 15.5/20.
18% in Gender Benchmark
In 2023 and 2024, the World Benchmarking Alliance assessed 2,000 companies on their efforts to drive gender equality and women's empowerment across their entire value chain. Companies are assessed on governance and strategy, representation, compensation and benefits, health and well-being, and violence and harassment. This company scored 18 out of 100. The average score was 15.3 and the highest score was 51.
Financing nuclear weapons producers
The 2018 update of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons' (ICAN) global report, "Don't Bank on the Bomb" showed that 329 financial institutions from around the world invested into 20 companies involved in the production, maintenance and modernization of nuclear weapons. Since 2014 this financial institution invested over US$5 million into 1 of the 20 nuclear weapons producers named in the report.
Source: ICAN
(2018)
10.0% in Newsweek Green Rankings 2015
This company received a score of 10/100 in the Newsweek Green Rankings 2015, which ranks the world's largest publicly traded companies on eight indicators covering energy, greenhouse gases, water, waste, fines and penalties, linking executive pay to sustainability targets, board-level committee oversight of environmental issues and third-party audits. Ranking methodology by Corporate Knights and HIP Investor.
Source: Newsweek
(2015)
CEO Pay Ratio of 156:1
In 2022 the median pay for a worker at this company was US$263,098. The CEO was paid 156 times this amount. Exorbitant CEO pay is a major contributor to rising inequality. CEOs are getting more because of their power to set pay, not because they are increasing productivity or possess specific, high-demand skills. The economy would suffer no harm if CEOs were paid less (or taxed more). In contrast, the CEO-to-typical-worker compensation ratio was 20-to-1 in 1965 and 58-to-1 in 1989.
Source: AFL-CIO
(2023)
Citizenship claims
This company has citizenship claims on its website in the areas responsible investing, governance, environmental stewardship and social responsibility.
Source: company website
(2018)
Company Details
Type:
Public company
Revenue:
2.9 billion USD
(2021)
Employees:
1,775
(2021)