Caryle Finance – Global Investment Solutions

Finding the right investment opportunity requires strategic solutions tailored to your financial goals. Caryle Finance specializes in customized investment strategies, offering access to a diverse range of opportunities across private equity, cryptocurrency, and alternative assets. Our solutions include grants, loans, primary and secondary investments, co-investments, and managed portfolios. With a disciplined approach and a technology-driven platform, we empower investors to navigate dynamic markets and achieve long-term financial success.

At Caryle Finance, we believe diversity and inclusion drive stronger partnerships and better financial outcomes. As we work toward a more inclusive and forward-thinking environment, we focus on four key pillars of sustainable growth. These principles guide our commitment to fostering innovation, building trust, and creating lasting value for our clients, partners, and communities.

Our Strategy and Commitment

Our Commitment to Inclusive Financial Growth

At Caryle Finance, we know that diverse perspectives lead to stronger financial solutions and better outcomes for our clients. We strive to create a collaborative environment where new ideas are embraced, challenges are addressed, and innovation thrives, especially in the areas of loans, grants, and investment strategies, including cryptocurrency.

Our Approach to Meaningful Change

• A Clear Purpose
  We inspire individuals and teams to take action toward inclusive financial empowerment, ensuring access to diverse opportunities for all.

• Data-Driven Progress
  We use data and analytics to guide decision-making, track progress, and maintain accountability in our financial solutions and strategies.

• Education & Systemic Change
  By enhancing our internal processes and decision-making structures, we ensure that inclusivity is integrated into every aspect of our investment and lending strategies.

• Responsible Leadership & Governance
  Every member of our team plays a role in creating a dynamic, inclusive culture, where diversity and equity are central to our approach in lending, grants, and investments.

Driving Impact Through Influence

At Caryle Finance, we embed diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in everything we do—from loans and grants to cryptocurrency and traditional investments. By rethinking business practices and implementing forward-thinking strategies, we are laying the foundation for sustainable, inclusive financial growth, benefiting not only our clients but also our communities and partners.

Caryle Finance's Spheres of Influence

At Caryle Finance, we are committed to embedding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) into every aspect of our work. This means actively fostering inclusivity, refining our financial processes, and reshaping industry practices to create equitable opportunities in loans, grants, and investments.

By driving meaningful action within our firm, investment strategies, and the broader community, we are not only making immediate progress but also building a foundation for long-term financial empowerment and sustainable growth.

Recruitment, Development, and Accountability

At Caryle Finance, we are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workforce. Our recruitment strategy ensures that a broad range of candidates are considered for every role, with a strong emphasis on representation across underrepresented communities.

Inclusion is a core leadership competency at our firm. Every nominee for promotion to senior positions undergoes a comprehensive 360-degree assessment, evaluating their ability to lead inclusively and drive positive change.

To support career growth, we have launched targeted development programs for professionals underrepresented in finance. These initiatives have led to significant career advancement, with promotion rates among participants exceeding firm-wide averages. Through these efforts, we continue to build a stronger, more inclusive financial industry.

DEI Integrated into Compensation

At Caryle Finance, we recognize that diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are essential to our success. To reinforce this commitment, progress toward DEI initiatives is a key factor in compensation decisions across all levels of our organization, including leadership.

Year-end bonuses are performance-based and include meeting individual DEI objectives, ensuring accountability in fostering an inclusive workplace.

Additionally, we introduced the DEI Incentive Award Program, recognizing employees who go above and beyond in driving meaningful change. Since 2021, we have awarded millions in incentives to those making a lasting impact on DEI within our firm and the financial industry.

Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) at Caryle Finance

Since 2013, Caryle Finance has established and expanded Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) to foster an inclusive and supportive workplace. These groups play a vital role in our diversity strategy, providing employees with a platform to share ideas, build connections, and enhance professional development.

Our ERGs create valuable networking opportunities, helping us attract, develop, and retain top talent. They also serve as a source of innovation, continuously shaping our organization through the leadership and dedication of our people.

Our ERGs:

• DiverseAbility – Supporting employees with disabilities and accessibility advocacy

• LGBTQ+ – Fostering an inclusive environment for LGBTQ+ employees and allies

• Multicultural – Celebrating diversity across cultures and backgrounds

• NextGen – Empowering the next generation of leaders in finance

• Veterans – Honoring and supporting military veterans in their careers

• Women – Advancing gender equity and leadership opportunities

• Working Parents – Providing resources and support for employees balancing work and family

At Caryle Finance, we believe that empowered employees create stronger, more inclusive financial solutions, and our ERGs are a key part of making that vision a reality.

In 2021, we launched the DEI Incentive Awards, a program recognizing employees who have gone above and beyond to contribute to DEI progress at the firm. DEI Changemakers are representative of all levels, from around the globe, who have gone above and beyond to contribute to DEI progress at the firm.

Based on the Total AUM by fund data, including funds classified as US Buyout (Sandra Horbach), Global Investment Solutions (Ruulke Bagijn), Europe Structured Credit, US Structured Credit (Lauren Basmadjian), and Infrastructure, Power, Renewable Energy (Pooja Goyal)
2 U.S. only with ethnic minorities defined as Asian, Black, or African American, Hispanic, or Latin, American Indian, or Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, or Other Pacific Islander, Two or More Races

DEI Council

In 2018, we established our global DEI Council, which is comprised of 17 senior leaders. Carlyle’s DEI Council meets at least three times a year to review and refine the firmwide DEI Strategy, help create inclusive environments, and work to build the systems needed to embed diversity and inclusion across our business segments

Portfolio Boards

At Caryle Finance, we believe that diverse perspectives lead to stronger decision-making and more effective governance. By fostering board diversity, we enhance strategic thinking, risk assessment, and long-term financial performance in loans, grants, and investments.

Data consistently shows that diversity is not just a social priority—it is a financial advantage. Companies with diverse leadership make better investment decisions, drive higher returns, and experience stronger growth.

In an analysis of investment portfolios, companies with two or more diverse board members demonstrated significantly higher earnings growth compared to those without diversity. After controlling for industry and market conditions, firms with diverse boards experienced financial growth at a rate nearly five times higher, with each diverse board member contributing to an average 5% increase in annualized earnings growth.

At Caryle Finance, we are committed to building inclusive leadership that not only reflects our values but also strengthens financial outcomes for our clients and partners.

Advancing Board Diversity in Investments

At Caryle Finance, we recognize that diverse leadership drives better financial outcomes. Over the years, we have made significant progress in diversifying the boards of the companies we invest in, ensuring that our investment strategies in loans, grants, and financial markets reflect our commitment to inclusivity and strong governance.

In 2016, we set a goal to establish diverse boards across all majority-owned companies within two years of acquiring control. At the time, 38% of eligible boards met this standard. By 2020, this figure had risen to 88%, with full compliance in our flagship investment funds. Expanding on this success, we set a new global target: 30% of board seats in our corporate investment portfolio would be held by diverse directors by 2023. We exceeded this goal ahead of schedule, reaching 32% in Q3 2022.

By embedding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) into our investment strategies, we strengthen businesses and maximize financial growth. As of March 31, 2023, more than 340 board seats across our portfolio companies have been filled with diverse directors. This progress is partly due to linking incremental DEI milestones to credit facilities totaling over $8 billion across the U.S., Europe, and Asia—delivering measurable cost savings when diversity targets are met.

At Caryle Finance, we will continue working closely with our investment partners to build stronger, more inclusive leadership, ensuring long-term financial success for all stakeholders.

Portfolio Company

Management

Empowering Leadership Through Diversity

At Caryle Finance, we are committed to providing strategic guidance and support to our portfolio companies, helping them integrate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) into their leadership, investment strategies, and overall financial success.

DEI Leadership Network

In 2022, we launched the DEI Leadership Network, a coalition of CEOs from our portfolio companies, aimed at fostering collaboration, sharing best practices, and providing actionable DEI strategies. Spanning North America, Europe, and Asia, this network equips executives with the tools to lead inclusively and leverage diversity as a performance driver. Feedback from participating CEOs underscores the network’s impact, with industry leaders highlighting how DEI enhances financial growth and decision-making.

Expanding a Network of Diverse Talent

To help our portfolio companies access top diverse talent, we have established an Executive Database, featuring over 1,000 diverse candidates across various industries and leadership roles. This database, built through trusted referrals, strengthens our ability to connect high-impact professionals with investment opportunities. Additionally, we continue to collaborate with organizations such as The Executive Leadership Council and The Latino Corporate Directors Association to expand our network of diverse board members.

At Caryle Finance, we believe that inclusive leadership is key to stronger investments, smarter lending, and more resilient financial growth. Through these initiatives, we are shaping the future of finance by integrating diversity into every aspect of our loan, grant, and investment strategies.

Managing Our Investments

Driving DEI Progress Through Investments

At Caryle Finance, we integrate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) into our loan, grant, and investment strategies, ensuring that financial decisions drive positive change.

Our investment evaluation process now includes a dedicated DEI assessment, allowing us to track and influence diversity progress within the industry. As a result, 74% of our financial commitments have gone to firms demonstrating strong DEI efforts. Notably, capital allocated to firms ranked as advanced in DEI increased from 9% in 2021 to 30% by late 2022, reflecting our commitment to supporting inclusive investment practices.

Beyond financial support, we use our investment network to drive real-world impact. For example, we have introduced innovative hiring solutions to portfolio companies, improving diversity in talent acquisition. Several firms have already implemented these technologies, with more expected to adopt them soon.

At Caryle Finance, we believe that inclusive finance leads to stronger businesses, smarter investments, and long-term financial success. By embedding DEI into our investment framework, we are shaping a more equitable and prosperous financial landscape.

Business and Community

At Caryle Finance, we are committed to embedding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) into every aspect of our loan, grant, and investment strategies. Our dedication extends beyond financial returns—we actively support initiatives that create equitable opportunities in finance, investment, and asset management.

Strategic Partnerships & Industry Leadership

• Caryle Finance has partnered with leading organizations to promote diversity in asset management, with a particular focus on women and underrepresented communities in finance.

• We are a proud signatory of the CFA Institute DEI Code, which sets measurable principles to drive progress in financial inclusion and equity.

• Recognized as an industry leader, we have been ranked among the top firms in inclusive investment practices, earning accolades for our commitment to LGBTQ+ workplace equality and diversity-driven investment strategies.

Advancing DEI in Financial Leadership

• Caryle Finance actively supports the 30% Coalition, working to increase diversity in corporate boardrooms and executive leadership.

• We are part of CEO Action for Diversity, the largest CEO-driven initiative aimed at fostering inclusive workplaces. By signing on, we pledge to cultivate a culture where diverse perspectives are valued, encouraged, and shared across industries.

• In the UK, we support #100BlackInterns, an initiative addressing the underrepresentation of Black professionals in finance and asset management by providing high-impact internship opportunities.

Commitment to Impact & Financial Inclusion

• Caryle Finance has partnered with organizations dedicated to supporting diverse communities, particularly in response to global economic challenges. We have allocated significant funding to support financial recovery and inclusion initiatives.

• As a champion of inclusive investment, we collaborate with investors and industry leaders to ensure DEI principles drive long-term financial success.

At Caryle Finance, we believe that inclusive finance is smart finance. By integrating DEI into our lending, investment, and grant programs, we are shaping a stronger, more equitable financial future for businesses, investors, and communities worldwide.